Property owners urged to strengthen fire precautions after Labasa fire

Property owners in Labasa have been advised to ensure proper fire safety precautions are in place to prevent fire incidents.

Labasa Town Council special administrator chairperson, Paul Jaduram, made the comment following a property fire at Gold Hold Sea Food Pte Ltd in the Vakamasisuasua industrial zone at 11.20 pm on Monday.

He noted the fire was particularly shocking because it resulted in the loss of company stock.

Police officers were present at the premises when this masthead visited the scene on Tuesday, with the property cordoned off for investigation.

Damage to the interior and stock of the property was visible.

Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro confirmed the incident and said investigations were ongoing.

She added that the cause of the fire had yet to be determined by the National Fire Authority (NFA).

Company owner Richard Du was contacted but declined to comment, saying he was travelling and would return to Labasa soon to assess the extent of the damage and determine the way forward.

"I can't give a phone interview now," he said.

Mr Jaduram urged business owners to take fire safety seriously and secure their properties to prevent future incidents.

He also recommended installing security cameras monitored during off-hours to identify any potential suspects or electrical faults.