National Fire Authority (NFA) continues investigations into a property fire at the Bountiful Estate, Nadi, early Sunday morning.

NFA reported that an electrical fault was the probable cause of fire.

NFA chief executive officer Puamau Sowane said firefighters at the Nadi Fire Station responded to an emergency call at 3.38am on Sunday and upon arrival at the scene of fire six minutes later, they found the basement of the building, which is used as a storeroom, fully engulfed in flames.

He said the concrete and corrugated iron roof building, which has seven flats, belonged to a businessman who was using the basement to store items for his shop.

“The items destroyed in the fire included bales of clothes, umbrellas and cartons of shop stock,” Mr Puamau said.

“Firefighters stopped the fire from spreading through the two-storey building, but could not save the stored items. The building was occupied by the owner and his family, but they were evacuated safely.”

Mr Sowane said damage to the basement is estimated to be about 70 per cent.

He called on building owners to ensure their properties were fire safety compliant and to conduct constant checks on things such as their property wiring.

He commended members of the public for using the 910 emergency line to contact the NFA during a fire.

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