Value City and Flea Market fire believed to have started from a restaurant - NFA

The National Fire Authority believes the fire that destroyed the Value City Complex and parts of Suva Flea Market at Rodwell Road in Suva had started from a restaurant at the Flea Market and had spread to Handicraft stalls within the market and Value City.

NFA says about 7 restaurants and handicraft stalls have been destroyed at Flea Market.

They say highly flammable sources like oil and gas in the restaurant and wooden craft in the handicraft stalls contributed to fast spread of the fire to other parts of the building.

The Authority says the Suva Fire Station was alerted through a call at 4.57pm about the fire and the fire crew responded immediately.

NFA says the fire crew managed to save part of the Flea Market which includes handicraft stalls and a Supermarket few meters away from the burning building.

Fire trucks from Suva, Valelevu, Nakasi, and Navua Fire Station responded to the fire call.

More than 30 firefighters and fire officers were at the scene to fight the fire.

NFA has also confirmed that no casualties were reported as people evacuated the building and managed to escape to safety when the fire started.

Meanwhile, a joint investigation between the Fiji Police Force and the NFA has begun to ascertain the cause of the fire.