Fire demolishes Taufusi house

By Deidre Tautua 13 April 2017, 12:00AM

A family at Taufusi is counting their losses after a fire ripped through their home yesterday, destroying their belongings.

Home Owner, Vui Tanoai Tuala, told the Samoa Observer he does not know what started the blaze.

“We were all here working on our new house when we saw smoke coming from the back of the house where the kitchen is,” he said.

“It happened so fast that none of us was able to get inside the house.

“One of my sons tried to go inside to take away the gas bottle before it exploded. However it was too late the blaze got to it first and it exploded.

“We couldn’t do anything. All we could do at the time was stand there and watch the blaze destroy everything.”

Vui said nothing in the house could be saved.

“Everything is gone including some new furniture. Everything that we had just bought for our new home and now it’s all gone,” he said.

Vui criticised the response from the Fire and Emergency Services Authority.

“When we saw the smoke from the back we called the Fire Service right away,” he told the Samoa Observer.

“About 20 minutes later we heard a siren and we thought it was them but when the vehicle arrived here it was the Police vehicle.

“I mean what is a police car going to do with what is happening? They just came, stood there and looked at the blaze.

“I can’t remember how long we waited for the fire truck but all I can say is that when they arrived, the whole house was on fire. All they could do was just stand there and hose the place down because it had already burnt.

“If only they had arrived earlier I know some of the things could’ve been saved.

“But there’s nothing that can be done now it’s over everything is gone.”

Despite his disappointment, the father is just thankful that none of his children were hurt.

“All in all I am happy that none of my family was hurt from this,” he said.

“We can replace all the material things that were destroyed by the blaze but we wouldn’t be able to replace my family and my children if anything happened to them.”

It was not possible to get a comment from the Fire and Emergency Services Authority.

By Deidre Tautua 13 April 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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