Police Still Investigating Blaze at Walu Bay
Investigations concerning the fire that destroyed the MH Warehouse in Walu Bay, Suva are ongoing.
The National Fire Authority said it had completed its investigation, but declined to comment on the matter.
When contacted yesterday, the NFA referred all queries to the Fiji Police Force.
Police spokesperson Jokatama Qio confirmed that they had received the report on Monday but were continuing their investigations.
The Carpenters Administration Building and MH Warehouse, located at Argo Street in Walu Bay, Suva, was destroyed in a fire on Sunday, April 8. The blaze had also spread to the adjacent Paradise Beverages building.
One Carpenters administration staff member suffered burns during the incident, was admitted at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, but has been discharged.
Last Tuesday, a fire also destroyed the Nausori MH Homemaker, Carpenters Hardware and adjacent building at Nausori Town. The fire has led to businesses closed while they await investigations by the authorities.
The final investigation report from the NFA is expected to be handed over to the Police this week.
Five fire trucks, including a fire team from Fiji Airports Limited at the Nausori International Airport, were used to put out a fire in Nausori. The MaxVal-U supermarket was closed for business because of the fire, but it opened again for business last Friday. Carpenters Hardware, MH Homemaker, Western Union, Sky Glory, Tulja Jewellers, Top Taste Woot Key Restaurant, and six other shops in the Sun Arcade were destroyed in the fire.
One of the shops located in the arcade was Nav’s IT Solutions. Branch manager Ashmeeta Prasad said they were also waiting on the fire report from the NFA. “The Sun Arcade owner is currently out of the country and is expected to be back next week,” she said.
“Currently we are waiting for the report from National Fire Authority to determine the cause of the fire and advise further on the investigations.”
Ms Prasad said some of her employees who were affected by the fire have found new employment, while others were still searching. Sky Glory director Jyoti Devi said the estimated cost of damages was more than $200,000, which included supplies and stocks in the warehouse.
“Four employees were working at the Nausori Branch and they have been relocated to the branches in Suva,” she said.
“The building that we rented for the shop was insured and we are waiting on the report from the National Fire Authority for further action to be taken.”