Three left homeless after Lautoka house fire destroys family home

A family's quick escape spared lives but not their home after a fire ripped through a house on Viseisei Bypass Road in Lautoka on Monday night, leaving three people homeless.

The seven-bedroom house, owned by 62-year-old Vijendra Prasad, was engulfed in flames, destroying the uninsured property and two vehicles.

"My wife first saw smoke coming from the bedroom and alerted me, so we all ran outside," Mr Prasad said.

He said strong winds fuelled the blaze, which quickly spread through the partly corrugated iron and partly concrete house.

National Fire Authority chief executive Puamau Sowane said the Lautoka Fire Station received an emergency call through its Command Centre at about 8pm.

Two fire trucks, 13 firefighters and an ambulance were immediately dispatched, arriving at the scene at 8.14pm.

Mr Sowane said preliminary investigations indicated the fire may have started in the bedroom of Mr Prasad's 36-year-old son.

The exact cause remains under investigation. No injuries were reported.

Mr Sowane said the incident highlighted the devastating impact fires could have on families.

"While we are grateful that no lives were lost in this incident, three people have lost their homes and all of their belongings. Recovering from such a loss is never easy," he said.

He urged the public to practise basic fire safety by switching off unused electrical appliances, avoiding overloaded power outlets and regularly checking electrical wiring and connections.

Mr Sowane said the authority remained concerned about the increasing number of fire-related fatalities this year as investigations into the Viseisei fire continued.