There have been 84 structural fire incidents in the country since January of this year.

The National Fire Authority says the number of residential fires has gone up recently and it is of great concern.

NFA Chief Executive Officer, Puamau Sowane says compare to the same period last, there were 74 structural fire incidents.

Sowane says of the 84 fire incidents recorded, 31 occurred in the Central/Eastern Division, 41 in the Western Division and 12 in the Northern Division.

He says fires impact people, property and the environment and all Fijians need to be mindful of their surrounding and adhere to all fire safety precautionary measures.

Meanwhile, the NFA says preliminary investigations into the house fire in Vatuwaqa reveal a visitor was lighting the stove to boil tea when a suspected gas leak caused the fire and spread to other parts of the house.

It says it’s understood the owner of the house was at work while his father was at home with visitors from Overseas when the fire started.

There were no casualties.