Mollyn Nakabea 
[Photo: File]
Max Value Supermarket in Tavua has been almost completely destroyed by fire, with the adjoining Courts Fiji premises also suffering smoke damage.
The fire broke out on Sunday.
Firefighters arrived at the Main Street premises within a minute and found the supermarket fully engulfed in flames.
The 32-metre by 22-metre building is owned by Courts Vision Group and operated by Max Value Supermarket.
Additional crews from Rakiraki, Ba and Lautoka also attended the fire, along with personnel from the Water Authority of Fiji and the Fiji Police Force.
Firefighters then carried out hotspot operations to prevent the fire from reigniting.
Heavy smoke also entered the adjoining Courts Fiji premises, requiring ventilation work.
Preliminary assessments show the Max Value building and its contents sustained about 100 per cent damage.
Courts Fiji sustained an estimated 20 per cent damage, mainly from smoke.
Twenty-six people were employed by the supermarket, and no injuries have been reported.
The property is understood to be insured, but the total value of the damage has not yet been determined.
NFA Chief Executive Officer Puamau Sowane says the scale of the damage is a serious concern for businesses operating in shared or adjoining buildings.
He says commercial fires can spread quickly when large amounts of stock and other combustible materials are involved.
Sowane says businesses must regularly check their electrical systems, firefighting equipment, emergency exits, access routes and storage areas.
He says operators in shared buildings must also plan for the protection of neighbouring businesses because a fire can quickly spread beyond one tenancy.
The cause of the Tavua fire is still under investigation.
