Family escapes morning fire, loses everything

A Vatuwaqa family escaped a raging fire with only the clothes they were wearing after flames from a neighbouring house spread to their home this morning.

Sereana Osbourne, 30, was at home with two children when the fire broke out at Muanivatu Settlement in Vatuwaqa, Suva, at about 8.30am.

The other adults in the household had gone to church.

Ms Osbourne said they were alerted to smoke rising from a neighbouring house.

She quickly took the children outside, but strong winds helped the flames spread to their home before they could rescue any belongings.

“When we opened the door, we saw flames from the house where the fire had started. Accompanied by the strong wind, the fire spread to our house,” she said.

From outside, Ms Osbourne and the children watched helplessly as their home became engulfed in flames.

The fire left the family of four adults and two children without their home or possessions.

“None of us were injured, but the clothes we were wearing were the only things we had left. We couldn’t save anything else,” she said.

Among the belongings destroyed were a laptop and school supplies belonging to Ms Osbourne's younger sister, who studies at the Fiji National University.

“My younger sister studies at the Fiji National University. Her laptop and other school supplies were destroyed.”

Narrow escape

Ms Osbourne said the family was fortunate to have escaped before the flames reached their home.

She feared the outcome could have been different had the fire started closer to their entrance.

“If it had started somewhere closer to the entrance of our house, we would have been a step too late,” she said.

Firefighters attended the scene and prevented the flames from spreading to other nearby houses.

Ms Osbourne and her family are now staying temporarily at another house within Muanivatu Settlement as they consider their next steps.

Although no one was injured, the family faces the challenge of rebuilding after losing their home and belongings.