Praneeta Prakash 
Firefighters contained the blaze
Firefighters averted a major disaster at Navakamasuasua Subdivision in Labasa late Monday night.
The National Fire Authority says a double-story commercial building owned by Gold Hold Limited was under immediate threat, while a rear lean-to structure used for cooking beche-de-mer was already engulfed.
Firefighters contained the blaze, preventing it from spreading to the main building.
While the main structure was largely unaffected, the lean-to sustained 80 to 90 percent damage.
A security guard was on-site at the time, but no injuries or fatalities were reported.
NFA Chief Executive Puamau Sowane expressed concern over the lack of basic fire safety measures in many properties.
He stresses that missing smoke alarms, unsafe electrical connections, and unattended cooking remain the leading causes of fires in Fiji.
