Monday, January 31, 1983
A 20-year-old wood and iron building at Lovu, just outside Lautoka, was destroyed by fire on Saturday afternoon causing an estimated $25,000 in damages.
The five-room home house, split into two flats, was owned Mr Velaidan, a carpenter with the Public Works Department.
Mr Velaidan said the fire started from the smaller flat, rented by a policeman Janki Prasad, but he did not know what had caused it.
Mr Velaidan said the larger three-bedroom flat was used as a sleeping quarter by his brother-in-law and his three sons, the eldest 13.
His wife, two younger children and his mother lived in the main family house in the same compound.
He said the fire was first noticed at about 2pm and the only policeman’s six-year-old daughter and brother-in-law were in the house.
Mr Velaidan said neighbours tried to put in out with a hose and buckets of water, but the fire had taken a good hold on the building.
One of the neighbours had rung the fire brigade, but by the time it arrived at about 2.45pm the house had been burned out, he said.
