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The National Fire Authority is issuing a stern warning to school managements and teachers following a property fire at Vatuwaqa Primary School in Suva on Tuesday.

The incident happened at around 7.51pm.

The NFA says upon investigation the crew established that the fire originated from a vacant classroom where combustibles were being stored.

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The firefighters managed to contain the fire and the classroom sustained only two percent damage.

NFA Chief Executive Puamau Sowane says this is the second fire incident at the school in 11 months and it is sad to see how little the school management has learned from the previous incident.

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He further says that, in the last incident on 12th December 2022, the school’s canteen, and school block that catered for Years 1, 2 and 3 were destroyed.

Sowane says the main block that catered for the school’s administration office, Year 8 and the school library was partly damaged.

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He says that NFA will ensure proper Fire Safety Inspections are carried out at all schools in Fiji to ensure all facilities are fire safety compliant.

The NFA investigation report into the 2022 incident concluded that arson was the cause of fire.

The police investigation in this matter is still underway.