Malata Family loses Everything in Fire
“At around 4pm my sister, Miliana Vucago who is our neighbour called to inform that I had lost everything,” Mr Malata said.
Thursday 12 October 2023 | 09:52
Oliva Malata pointing at the remains of his house in Nasekula Village, Labasa on October 11, 2023. Photo: Shratika Naidu
Accepting the fact that he has to rebuild his house again is creating a lot of inconvenience for Oliva Malata of Nasekula Village, Labasa.
In 2016 between February 19 to 20, Tropical Cyclone Winston destroyed his wooden house.
Then on Tuesday during Fiji Day public holiday, a fire engulfed his two-bedroom corrugated house around 3:40pm.
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The 34-year-old father said he left the house at 7am to go to work at Malau while his wife and three children aged, seven, two and seven-month-old baby were at home.
“At around 4pm my sister, Miliana Vucago who is our neighbour called to inform that I had lost everything,” Mr Malata said.
“My wife has left the house with the kids to visit her mother in Tuatua before the time of the incident.”
With tears in his eyes, he looked at the house and said that he didn’t know where to seek help to rebuild his house again.
“My eldest son who is a Year Two student of Nasekula District School can’t resume classes because his shoes, bag, uniform and stationeries got burnt,” he said.
“I am worried about his education, clothes and food for my other two children.”
They are staying at a relative’s house in the same village.
The National Fire Authority (NFA) confirmed it received a call at 3:42pm and a team of six officers were dispatched.
Upon arrival they saw the house fully engulfed in flames.
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