Fire destroys three-bedroom Labasa home, family appeals for assistance

A family in Labasa is appealing for assistance after a fire destroyed the home they had worked towards owning, leaving an estimated $45,000 in damage.

The three-bedroom timber and corrugated iron house at Salusalu, Namara, was destroyed by fire last Friday.

Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro confirmed officers attended the scene.

Abdul Hamid said the house belonged to his stepmother, but he had invested money towards eventually owning the property.

"I was outside setting my SIM card when someone informed me that the house was on fire," Mr Hamid said.

He said no one was inside the house when the fire broke out.

"The house had three bedrooms. I paid $15,000 and another $15,000, then I would be able to own the property and the house," he said.

Mr Hamid claimed the fire may have been caused by an exploding gas cylinder, although the cause remains under investigation.

He estimated the damage at about $45,000.

"Police and NFA came to the fire incident," he said.

Mr Hamid said firefighters prevented the blaze from spreading to neighbouring properties.

He is seeking assistance and can be contacted on 9968646.

NFA investigation continues

The National Fire Authority (NFA) said the Labasa Fire Station received an emergency call through the National Command Centre (910) at 11.48am.

Firefighters responded a minute later with two fire appliances and an ambulance, arriving at the scene at 11.53am.

They found the single-storey house fully engulfed in flames and immediately began firefighting operations using multiple hose deliveries. Due to the intensity of the fire, both appliances carried out several water top-ups while crews worked to contain and extinguish the blaze.

One appliance returned to the station at 1.20pm, while the second remained at the scene to extinguish remaining hotspots.

The house sustained 100 per cent damage.

The property, owned by a 72-year-old woman, was vacant at the time of the incident. No injuries or fatalities were reported.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

NFA chief executive Puamau Sowane said the authority had observed an increase in fires involving vacant residential properties.

"We are seeing an increasing number of fires occurring in vacant homes, and this is a worrying trend. Many people assume that an unoccupied house is safe from fire, but that is simply not the case," Mr Sowane said.

He urged property owners to regularly inspect and maintain vacant homes, ensure electrical systems were safe, remove unnecessary combustible materials and secure their properties to reduce fire risks.

"Neglecting a vacant property can increase the likelihood of a fire and place neighbouring homes and communities at risk," he said.

Mr Sowane reminded members of the public to report fires immediately by calling 910.

"The earlier a fire is reported, the quicker our firefighters can respond. Early notification gives us the best opportunity to contain the fire before it spreads and causes extensive damage to nearby properties," he said.