An Occupational Health and Safety investigation has been launched into the electrical explosion at Civic House in Suva that left two children with severe burns.
The Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relations has also issued a Prohibition Notice to the Suva City Council, as owner of the building, following preliminary investigations into Wednesday afternoon’s incident.
The Ministry said preliminary findings indicate an electrical fault occurred at about 3.20pm inside the ground-floor Main Switchboard Room.
Minister for Employment Agni Deo Singh said preliminary OHS findings had identified thermal damage to some electrical components within the switchboard.
However, the precise cause of the electrical fault and the circumstances leading to the incident remain under investigation.
However, Police said the two children, aged six and 13, would normally wait for their mother at their aunt’s office after school.
According to Police, the children were playing hide-and-seek when one entered the switchboard room to hide.
Police said when the second child opened the door while looking for the other, electrical equipment was accidentally touched, triggering the explosion.
Both children suffered severe electrical flash burns and remain under observation at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital.
Following the incident, OHS officials ordered the affected switchboard to be isolated and locked out, with access restricted to authorised repair and inspection personnel.
The Ministry has recommended that electricity not be restored until the installation undergoes a comprehensive inspection and receives technical clearance from the relevant authorities, including licensed electrical contractors and Energy Fiji Limited.
Safety arrangements surrounding electrical rooms within the building are also being examined, with additional measures to be considered to strengthen safety and minimise future risks.
“The safety of workers, visitors and members of the public must always come first,” Singh said.
“Where there are serious risks, those responsible for workplaces have a duty to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place and are functioning effectively.”
The investigation is expected to establish the cause of the electrical fault and the circumstances that allowed the children to gain access to the switchboard room.
