Family of eight loses home in Waiqele fire
Mr Vakabureicia and his wife were at work when the fire broke out, while the rest of the family had gone to Labasa Town.
Monday 24 August 2026 | 17:00
Sitiveni Vakabureicia stood infront of his house at Waiqele in Labasa on August 24, 2026.
Shratika Naidu
A 54-year-old father is determined to rebuild and provide shelter for his family after a fire destroyed the two-bedroom house they called home in Waiqele, Labasa.
Sitiveni Vakabureicia said he never imagined last Saturday would be the final day he, his wife, son-in-law and five children would live in the house.
Mr Vakabureicia and his wife were at work when the fire broke out, while the rest of the family had gone to Labasa Town.
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“I work as a security officer and my wife is a cleaner at Labasa Hospital. When we both saw the house on fire, we knew our wages were not enough to rebuild our lives quickly and we bitterly wept,” Mr Vakabureicia said.
“I am originally from Galoa Island in Bua and it had been only one year since we moved to stay at this relative’s house.”
Mr Vakabureicia said the house belonged to a retired police officer named Viliame.
“When he (Viliame) heard what happened to us while bedridden, he told his wife to tell us not to worry as everyone was safe and no one was inside the house when the incident happened,” he said.
Mr Vakabureicia said his immediate priority was to clear the site and find shelter for his children.
“I am pouring water to put out the fire completely and then clean the land so that we can build a bure to live in.”
He said as a father, he needed to remain resilient and ensure his children had shelter.
The Labasa Fire Station received an emergency call at about 1.02pm.
Firefighters found the property fully engulfed in flames and burnt down when they arrived.
National Fire Authority chief executive officer Puamau Sowane said the suspected cause of the fire remained under investigation.
He reminded members of the public that early reporting could make a significant difference in limiting fire damage.
“If you see a fire, report it immediately by calling the NFA emergency number 910,” Mr Sowane said.
“The earlier the NFA is alerted, the sooner our firefighters can respond.
“We cannot prevent every fire, but through responsible fire safety practices and early reporting, we can reduce the risk of fires and minimise the loss of homes and property.”
