A Lautoka family’s 60-year-old home was completely destroyed by a fire at Navatu Lane in Waiyavi on Sunday, sending memories of the home up in flames.

The four-bedroom concrete home which belonged to the Nenewa family, was known as vuni maqo, because it was surrounded by mango trees.

A distraught Makarita Nenewa, 58, said the news of the home fire was devastating. She said she couldn’t erase it from her mind.

The home was occupied by her brother, his wife and their three children. Ms Nenewa, a market vendor and part-time exam supervisor at the University of the South Pacific’s Lautoka Campus, received a phone call from a neighbour when the fire began.

Makarita Nenewa.

“I said ‘no it can’t be’,” she said.

She believed her brother had cooked tavioka with firewood and he had put it off. She said after he went to sleep with his family in the living room and one wood may have still been lit.

“The wind was strong that day which caused that one wood to fall and burn the home,” she claimed.

“It is sad because all the children, my nieces and nephews were brought up there and we just think of my parents because it was my father’s sweat and hard work that made the home.”

“Accidents do happen, but we have to be aware and be awake all the time.”

No lives were lost. She said the family lost more than $45,000 in the fire. Nothing was saved.

They are residing with other family members. For donation of food and clothing, Ms Nenewa can be contacted on 878 4529 or 728 8304.

National Fire Authority (NFA) Chief Executive Officer, Puamau Sowane said investigations into the fire would be carried out to determine the suspected cause.

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