Peceli Naviticoko 
[File Photo]
Road conditions in heavily populated residential areas continue to be a major challenge for emergency services during fires or other critical situations.
This concern was highlighted by Amar Singh, the caretaker of a four-bedroom home that was completely destroyed in a fire yesterday in Vunivau, Labasa.
According to Singh, two fire trucks responding to the blaze had to take separate routes in order to access the site, managing to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to nearby homes.
Amar Singh
“If the condition of the road was better, there wouldn’t be any issue during emergencies because they could come directly and on time, yesterday, one fire brigade came from this side, and another from the other side.”
The fire, which left nothing salvageable from the house, is estimated to have caused damages exceeding $150,000.
The property was owned by a person currently living overseas and had been rented out to a local family.
Singh is now calling for urgent improvements to road infrastructure in densely populated communities, saying better access could mean the difference between saving and losing lives and property.
The National Fire Authority and Fiji Police are currently investigating the cause of the fire.
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