Hanuabada fire 2017

Fundraising appeal for Charlie Morea was launched last Saturday, 19 August, at the home village, Porebada.

This event raised more than K3000 and K4000 more in pledges.

The committee for Charlie Morea’s fundraising appeal has donated about K700 from the proceeds of the first fundraising.

Sivar Raman, manager procurement and projects, said this donation is their first.

The hardware house will also supply building materials later.

"We understand there is shortage of fresh water so we donate the tank first," he said.

Eda Ranu also came by with a donation of K10,000 in cash and a promise of water supply.

Two separate fire incidents, one on Saturday and another this morning, have left close to 500 people homeless.

By 3pm this afternoon, more organisations, including Rotary of Boroko, the Red Cross, Mondo Clothing, Pure Water and China-PNG friendship association, came with donations of cash and kind.

The fire appeal committee hopes to raise at least K2.5million.

"One house costs about K60,00 to build. The donations reached K190 000 already. This will cover for three houses. We have 15 more," said community leader Dadi Toka Jnr.

Senirewa Production belongs to producer and musician Mark Tau, known as Makali.

The studio existed for at least 6 years and produced songs for musicians like Moses Tau and other musicians along the Motuan coastline.

"This is a big loss. I will have to start all over again," he said.

15 homes were razed to the ground during the weekend, while 3 more suffered the same fate today. Details into the fires are yet to be established.

(Musician Mark Tau)

Chief Fire Officer Bill Roo confirmed engaging officers only yesterday to start the probe.

“The buildings were all burnt down, which means all evidence have been destroyed. But we have established where the fire started,” said Roo.

“It started in one house and then spread to the others. So what we rely on now is the information from occupants of the house where the fire started and then we’ll work around what we gather.”

To identify the cause of fire, the victims of the fire and witnesses have to be interviewed and a timeline of events established.

The fire is said to have started at around 6:30am from a widow's house and spread to the two nearby houses.

Bele Heni says it started in her bedroom but she is not aware of what may have caused it.

Heni had spent the night with her niece and was alerted only this morning when the house was ablaze.

The villagers however, were quick to respond, containing what could have been another major disaster for the village.

Fifteen houses were completely destroyed by the fire, twelve were partially destroyed and over 200 families were directly affected.

Sir Mekere said his office and Hanuabada election coordinators were working with the Central Disaster Committee to ascertain what needed to be done and to find resources to help the families.

He said unfortunately, the electorate had not been given any electoral funds, including DSIP, so far at all, so his office had no financial resources to help. His office was however seeking assistance from NCDC.

15 homes were razed to the ground during the weekend, leaving more than 200 people homeless as one building can house up to 5 families or more.

“All the people that have been affected are all related,” says national cricketer and community leader Rarua Dikana.

“So it’s a multiple effect disaster. It’s one of the biggest, single disaster we’ve had in the village in a long time.”

National Capital District Governor, Powes Parkop, launched the appeal today, saying: “By now, everyone in the city and around the country would have learnt of the tragedy that struck our big village of Hanuabada yesterday.

“On behalf of the residents of our city and as an expression of our sympathy and solidarity to the affected families, their relatives and our Motu and Koitabu people, I am launching this appeal.

“Donations can be brought to the City Hall now where my officers will be at the car park to receive and register your donations.