Fire response times in Suva were delayed by hazardous road conditions outside the Walu Bay fire station.
An article in The Fiji Times on Friday, February 2, 1973, reported that chief fire officer Harry Le Vesconte warned of a combination of potholes and parked lorries could soon result in even longer waits for emergency help.
“Our fire engines don’t just roll out and speed off to a fire, we have to tackle a 100-yard obstacle course before we can even get going,” Mr Le Vesconte said.
“After zooming out of the station fire engines were forced to pause to pick their way between the potholes just outside the building.”
Beyond that, they must pass through a narrow section of the road, where a transport operator parked lorries on both sides.
“So little room is left that one day the cargo trucks going to the Burns Philp bulk store next to the station are going to block the road, and then we will really be scuppered.”
Mr Le Vesconte confirmed these obstacles had already delayed the brigade’s arrival at emergency scenes.
“The potholes are big enough to damage any vehicle which hits them at speed.”
Despite these concerns, neither the Suva City Council nor the Public Works Department took responsibility for repairing the road, he said.
Mr Le Vesconte also told this newspaper that some of the parked lorries frequently obstructed the fire station’s access road appeared to be abandoned.
“At least three seem to be derelicts.”
