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🇫🇯 Fiji /Disasters & Emergencies

Morning blaze turns deadly in Fiji, claiming two lives and destroying businesses

From FBC News · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • A fire at a property in Laucala Beach, Fiji, resulted in the deaths of two people and destroyed four businesses.
  • The victims are believed to be the female landlord and her recently adopted 10-year-old son, who were inside the residential home when the fire started.
  • Business owners suffered significant losses, with vehicles and stock destroyed, and investigations into the fire's cause are underway.

A devastating fire swept through a property at Laucala Beach this morning, claiming the lives of two individuals and destroying four businesses. The blaze left business owners facing significant financial losses.

I thought one of my dogs had bitten someone on the road, but when I asked what had happened, they told me there was a fire on the premises.

— Ruben SinghZion Automotive manager Ruben Singh described his initial reaction upon arriving at the scene.

Ruben Singh, manager of Zion Automotive, arrived at work around 8 a.m. to find a crowd gathered. He observed that the landlord's flat was already engulfed in flames. Singh attempted to reach the landlord, who is handicapped, but received no response.

The National Fire Authority responded within 10 to 15 minutes and extinguished the fire. However, all four businesses operating on the property were destroyed. Singh reported the loss of several vehicles, including a 12-wheeler truck, a company bus, a new customer vehicle, and a taxi, along with other equipment. A grog pounding business also lost all its stock.

I tried to get close and call out to her because she’s handicapped, to see if she could come out, but there was no response.

— Ruben SinghRuben Singh recounted his attempt to help the landlord during the fire.

Eyewitnesses identified the victims as the female landlord and her recently adopted 10-year-old son. They were believed to be inside the residential home on the property when the fire began. The child's older brother, Simione Cereiwasa Junior, was at work when he received a call about the fire and returned to find everything destroyed.

We’ve lost quite a few vehicles in this incident. There’s a 12-wheeler truck, a company bus, a customer’s brand-new vehicle that was here for ceramic coating, another business lost a taxi, while others lost equipment. The grog pounding business also lost all of its stock.

— Ruben SinghRuben Singh detailed the significant material losses incurred by the businesses.

Cereiwasa shared that his younger brother, a Year 5 student, had only been adopted by the landlord the previous week. Police and the National Fire Authority are currently investigating the cause of the fire.

I came here and everything was already burnt. My brother passed away.

— Simione Cereiwasa JuniorSimione Cereiwasa Junior described his arrival at the scene after learning about the fire.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by FBC News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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