A fire gutted a Chinese shop on Vaha’akolo road at Tofoa on Saturday night, 19 November. The Fire Service stated they have not found anything suspicious, stating the fire started from a back room where a stove and gas bottle was located.

Deputy Fire Commissioner Sinamoni said an investigation into the cause was continuing.

"We have confirmed the origin of the fire came from the back room, where the stove and a gas bottle, which is used for cooking, was located and nothing suspicious had been found," he said.

The Fire Service was called to the scene at around 8:32pm. The shop was open at the time with the owner, a shop assistant and a security guard working.

The fire spread to the front of the shop and gutted the building with estimated damage and loss of stock amounting to more than $800,000 pa’anga.