Authority probes fire

By Lanuola Tusani Tupufia 19 January 2016, 12:00AM

The Commissioner of the Fire and Emergency Services Authority (F.E.S.A), Lelevaga Fouina Mupo, is heading an investigation to determine what caused the fire that demolished the Savavalo Market on Saturday.

Speaking to the Samoa Observer yesterday, Lelevaga declined to reveal the details of their investigation saying it was early days yet.

 “We are putting together information based on reports from what other witnesses saw, especially the security guard who was there,” said Lelevaga. 

“There are suspicions about gas bottles but there are many possible causes.”

Lelevaga said the report should be ready by today to help the government move forward with its response.

According to Lelevaga, their priority on Saturday was to stop the fire from spreading to the old Agriculture Store building and then to the Development Bank of Samoa.

“That’s why the boys stayed on that side focusing on that area,” said the Commissioner. 

“There were other gas bottles in the Agriculture building and if it had reached there that building would’ve been gone as well. The same with the Tooa Salamasina building but luckily it didn’t.”

The fire fighters also had to use seawater.

The Commissioner confirmed that F.E.S.A. received a call around 7.07pm on Saturday and acted immediately. 

Attempts to get a comment from the Samoa Land Corporation, General Manager, Peseta Afoa Arasi Tiotio were unsuccessful. 

Her secretary said she was not at the office and was attending several meetings yesterday. 

  Police officers were at the scene yesterday picking up the pieces of aluminum roof sheets and piling them on the road. 

The gas bottles that were used by food stalls for cooking were gathered on the other side. The only things left were poles bent by the heat. Everything else had turned into charcoal. 

By Lanuola Tusani Tupufia 19 January 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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