Six escape injury in Labasa house fire

Six people escaped injury in a house fire at Dreketilailai, Bulileka, Labasa, yesterday, while a second fire involving vacant residential properties was reported at Namara on Friday.

The National Fire Authority (NFA) said it responded to both incidents after receiving reports on October 9 and 10.

The Dreketilailai house was occupied by six people when the fire broke out. The timber and corrugated iron building had electricity and water supplies connected.

The house sustained 100 per cent fire damage and was insured.

“No injuries or fatalities were reported in the initial incident report,” the NFA said.

The authority said the full impact of the fire on the six occupants, including their current accommodation arrangements, was yet to be established.

The NFA’s Labasa Station received the report at about 2.59pm yesterday, prompting an immediate response by four firefighters.

A second fire appliance also arrived to help contain the blaze.

Firefighters found a five-bedroom residential house fully engulfed in flames, the NFA said.

“Firefighting operations involved water from the responding appliances, with additional water supplies used to suppress the fire,” the authority said.

“One appliance returned to the station at approximately 4.34pm, while the second remained at the scene to extinguish remaining hotspots.”

Meanwhile, firefighters responded to a fire involving two vacant residential properties at Namara, Labasa, on Friday.

The NFA received the report at about 11.20am on October 9. Its initial response involved two fire appliances and 10 on-duty crew members.

A third appliance arrived at the scene at about 11.57am after attending another emergency call.

Firefighters found a one-bedroom house fully engulfed in flames, while a second, three-bedroom house had already been completely destroyed.

Both structures sustained 100 per cent fire damage and were uninsured.