A fire razed a home on Sunday morning, 26 February at Vaotu’u on Tongatapu. A Fijian family who occupied the house lost everything.

Deputy Fire Commissioner Sinamoni Kauvaka said today that the fire was reported at 9:36am, while the family were away at a church service.

The fire engulfed and razed the house and by the time fire fighters arrived nothing could be salvaged.

“The house was built in the 1970s and we are gathering more information to assist in their investigation on the cause of the fire”, he said.

At the same time, Ilex Tora, from the local Fijian community, on his FB relayed a plea for assistance.

He said the family of five, including the parents and their three teenagers lost their home in the fire, which destroyed everything. They were attending a church service without any knowledge of what was happening to their house.

“They need clothes, food, school supplies for the children, blankets, pillows, kitchen utensils and everything else that can help them at this time. They lost everything except for what’s on their backs," he said.