Two elderly parents perish in Votualevu house fire

Two elderly parents died in a house fire at Valemasima Road, Votualevu, Nadi, early this morning after they were unable to escape a blaze that fully engulfed their family home.

The National Fire Authority (NFA) confirmed the couple was trapped inside while the front door was locked from the outside.

Nadi Fire Station received an emergency call at 12.16am and dispatched three trucks and 10 firefighters, including two off-duty personnel.

Crews arrived at 12.38am to find the four-bedroom house already consumed by flames and threatening a nearby property.

Family members told firefighters that the victims, Uday Chand, 64, and Gyan Wati, 65, were still inside.

Firefighters battled intense heat and smoke to stop the fire spreading to the adjoining home. The blaze was brought under control at 3.09am.

The homeowner, Uden Chand, who lives on the property with his wife, child and parents, said the family had returned from their bakery business around 11.30pm. His wife woke to the smell of smoke and raised the alarm.

Mr Chand managed to evacuate his child but said he could not reach his parents because the flames were too intense and the front door was locked from outside.

The home, measuring 18ft x 35ft, was completely destroyed. Damage is estimated at $100,000.

The scene was handed over to Police at 3.15am. NFA’s Fire Investigation Team will determine the cause of the blaze.

NFA Chief Executive Officer Puamau Sowane extended condolences to the Chand family and urged communities to treat fire safety as a household priority.

“This tragedy shows how quickly a fire can take hold,” he said.

“Clear escape routes, accessible exits and early detection save lives. One overlooked safety measure can cost a family everything.”

Mr Sowane said NFA would continue strengthening community awareness and fire-prevention programmes while the investigation continues.