Road works halted after machinery torched near Labasa schools

Major road works near Batinikama Primary School and Batinikama College in Labasa have been put on hold after two pieces of heavy machinery were allegedly set on fire late Wednesday night.

The road roller and grader, belonging to Fairdeal Earthmoving Contractors Limited, were stationed on private property opposite the schools when the incident occurred. Labasa fleet manager Ashneel Lingam said the alleged arson took place around 11pm.

“Upon receiving an emergency call, I drove to the site and it was an unbearable scene,” Mr Lingam said. “We were scheduled to carry out major maintenance work to improve road access for students, teachers, parents, and the wider community.”

He said the company suffered an estimated $1 million loss and will now have to reschedule contracted jobs due to the destruction of two key machines.

Mr Lingam urged anyone with information about the incident to report it to police, saying the damage affects not only the company but also the Batinikama community.

“Due to this incident, we now feel it’s no longer safe to keep our machines at job sites,” he added.

The Fiji Roads Authority (FRA), which had contracted the company for maintenance, confirmed it was aware of the incident but declined to comment further, citing an ongoing police investigation. FRA noted that the incident would significantly impact the road rehabilitation program in the area.

Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro said a joint investigation with the National Fire Authority was underway. No arrests had been made as of today.