A five-year-old child lost his life after a fire blazed through the two bedroom house his family was renting in Matanikorovatu Road in Makoi yesterday morning.
Josh Nanovu was trapped inside the house.
His father Eliki Nanovu, a doctor at the Makoi Health Centre, was too distraught to talk.
A family member, who identified herself as Adi, said Dr. Nanovu also suffered burns to his body.
She said the family was in shock and had not even given any statements to the Police.
Dr. Nanovu, his wife, and four other sons managed to escape the inferno that claimed the life of the second youngest child.
Neighbour Shalendra Kumar witnessed the heartbreaking scene as the parents watched on helplessly.
“I feel so sorry, that nothing could have been done. The father tried to enter the house and save his son but the heat was just too strong,” he said.
A National Fire Authority statement said the Valelevu Fire Station was alerted of the house fire at 9.46 am and responded immediately.
“Upon arrival at the scene at 9.50 am, the fire team found a small two-bedroom concrete house fully engulfed in flames. The fire crew quickly used deliveries of water from the fire trucks to quickly extinguish the fire and stop its spread to nearby houses,” said the NFA in a statement.
“The fire crew managed to extinguish and control the fire, but it was unfortunate that the body of a small boy was found at the scene.
“It is understood that the family was asleep in the house when the fire started. The intensity of the heat woke the family and it was unfortunate that during the haste to escape, the fourth son was left behind by which time the fire was just too intense for the family to rescue him.”
Three fire trucks from Valelevu and Suva Fire Station responded to the incident with 13 firefighters and four senior staff.
NFA will work with the Police in investigations to determine the cause of the fire and circumstances surrounding the death of the child.
