Despite the continued destruction of facilities by fire, business houses and home owners continue to ignore the advice and recommendations of the National Fire Authority (NFA) in making facilities fire compliant.
A good example is the recent Valebasoga fire – two fires in the same facility one month apart.
The devastation to the national economy in the wake of one fire cannot be taken lightly. The Minister for Local Government, Urban Development, Housing & Environment, Colonel Samuela Saumatua, has directed the National Fire Authority to stringently scrutinise facility owners who, through negligence and deliberate ignorance, undermine the efforts of the NFA towards a “fire-compliant” nation.
Assessments are now underway on the high risk and high threat areas that may contribute to economic slow-downs due to fires. The Minister is closely monitoring the national risk and threat analysis to ensure that the national economy is not crippled due to fires that are a result of people’s laxity.