YESTERDAY’S fire at the Fiji Sugar Corporation’s (FSC) Rarawai mill in Ba will significantly impact the national economy, says Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry.
He called on the Government and FSC to address the issue with the necessary urgency and attention.
The FSC has said it was investigating the circumstances surrounding the blaze which CEO Bhan Pratap Singh said caused extensive damage to sections of the facility. He confirmed the fire started in the mill’s powerhouse.
Fortunately, all employees evacuated the premises safely and no injuries were reported.
“The National Fire Authority (NFA) and Energy Fiji Limited (EFL) teams are currently undertaking investigations to determine the cause of the incident and to assess the full extent of the damage sustained,” he said, adding a detailed report would be provided upon the conclusion of these assessments.
‘In the interim, operations at the Rarawai Mill will remain suspended until further notice.
“All lorry drivers who had been dispatched to the Rarawai mill, along with those present at the yard, have already been redirected to the Lautoka mill.”
Mr Singh said lorries within the sector would also be advised to proceed directly to the Lautoka Mill to ensure continuity of supply and to minimise disruption to farmers and stakeholders.
Mr Chaudhry said the Lautoka mill had faced ongoing mechanical issues since the season began in July, and questioned whether it would be able to crush the “over 440,000 tonnes (60 per cent) of cane” that remains to be crushed in the Western cane belt.
He also raised concerns about whether cane farmers with unharvested crops will receive fair compensation for lost earnings due to the mill’s closure.
