DOCUMENTS SAFE IN VALE NI BOSE FIRE
It took three fire trucks from Suva and one from the Valelevu fire stations, 20 firefighters and three fire officers.
The iTaukei documents and official records are safe after a fire destroyed the meeting hall at the Vale ni Bose of the Fijian Trust Fund complex in Nasova, Suva.
Permanent Secretary for iTaukei Affairs, Ratu Meleti Bainimarama said the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs and iTaukei Affairs Board headquarters were not affected by the fire yesterday morning. All operations continued as normal, he said.
The Suva sky was lit with the massive fire that engulfed the Vale ni Bose building.
The blaze and white phumes could be seen for miles around the city. It took three fire trucks from Suva and one from the Valelevu Fire Stations, 20 firefighters and three fire officers to contain the aggressive inferno. According to residents in nearby Domain and Nasese, it was like a huge bonfire. Some residents were woken up at around 3.30am by the sound of glass breaking.
The fire was fuelled by the early morning sea breeze. The National Fire Authority firefighters prevented the fire from spreading to buildings nearby, the North and South Wings which included the Police barracks, and the offices of the Ministry of Lands, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of iTaukei Affairs offices.
The Vale ni Bose building was used for meetings and events.
NFA chairman John O’Connor, who was at the scene yesterday morning, said: “It was an aggressive fight. We are glad that the fire was contained. Now we will return after all embers have died out and start our investigation and find the cause of the fire.” He said the Ministry’s operation would be as normal.
Fiji Sun managing editor design, Naisa Koroi, who resides at the Police barracks in Nasova, said the sound of glass shattering woke him up.
“It was huge! And we could feel the heat even though a retaining wall separated the complex and the barracks in Nasova. Police officers sounded their whistles to get people out of the barracks and be prepared should the fire spread, fuelled by the breeze,” he said.
Domain resident Jason Singh said they heard sirens and went out to see what was happening.
“When I looked towards the sea, I saw it glowing. I knew it was a fire. So I drove to the seaside to find the Vale ni Bose on fire,” he said.
Police also acted fast in closing off Queen Elizabeth Drive to allow NFA to carry out its work and stop people from becoming spectators.
Late last night, the SODELPA Opposition Member of Parliament and Paramount chief of the Burebasaga confederacy, Ro Teimumu Kepa in a statement said she was saddened about the fate of a building that was never used for its intended purpose.