Mosese Raqio 
[Photo: SUPPLIED]
A family of three has been left homeless after a house in Lausa, Tavua, was completely destroyed by fire on Sunday night.
The National Fire Authority says the blaze broke out while the family was away attending a function, raising fresh concerns over the growing number of fires occurring in unattended homes.
The Tavua Fire Station received an emergency call at 8:19pm, and firefighters arrived at the scene 21 minutes later to find the large three-bedroom home fully engulfed in flames.
Fire crews used two fire appliances and successfully prevented the fire from spreading to nearby properties before extinguishing the blaze just after 10pm.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but the corrugated iron and timber home suffered 100 percent damage, leaving two adults and one child without shelter.
The property was not insured, and the cost of damage is yet to be determined.
National Fire Authority Chief Executive Officer Puamau Sowane says the incident is a painful reminder that fire can strike at any time, even when no one is at home.
He says many families return from outings to find everything they have worked for reduced to ashes, with the emotional and financial toll often devastating.
Sowane is urging homeowners to switch off unnecessary electrical appliances, maintain electrical systems and consider insurance coverage when leaving homes unattended.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
