No one charged yet over Waidamudamu bridge fire

No one has been charged following a fire that damaged the Waidamudamu Bridge in Vunimoli, Labasa, more than a month ago.

Police spokesperson Sergeant Wame Bautolu said investigations are ongoing to determine whether the blaze qualifies as suspected arson.

The fire was suspected to be deliberate, as tyres were found piled together with steel wire and an odour of kerosene was detected when reporters visited the site.

Earlier reports from the National Fire Authority (NFA) indicated that its Labasa team found three tyres burning on top of the bridge, which caused the wooden surface to catch fire.

NFA crews quickly extinguished the blaze and secured the scene for police investigations.

An internal assessment by the NFA estimated that five to ten per cent of the bridge’s structure was damaged.

A new bridge has already been built by the Fiji Roads Authority (FRA), but police investigations are still ongoing.