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A house fire that may have been started by a burning candle has left a family of seven homeless in a village outside the town of Nadi in Fiji’s sixth house fire since the Christmas long weekend.
The four-bedroom concrete house in Sabeto village was destroyed in the fire which began at about 2.30 am today.
House owner Temalesi Galala felt the heat from the fire while she was asleep and awoke to see one of the bedrooms on fire.
The family escaped unhurt.
The National Fire Authority says initial indications suggest the probable cause of fire was a burning candle set on a table in one of the bedrooms.
The authority’s Divisional Fire Officer Western Isoa Makutu said people need to take extra precautions with potential fire starters such as prayer lamps, mosquito coils and candles.
“Time and again we see homes exhumed by fire as a result of prayer lamps or candles left unattended or carelessly handled,” said Makutu.
Five houses were destroyed in fires over the Christmas long-weekend.
The NFA says cooking-related incidents are the top cause of home fires.
