A fire that broke out early Wednesday morning at Maria’s Mall and spread to the TV3 building next door is suspected to have been caused by a cigarette butt.
Samoa Fire and Emergency Services Authority Commissioner, Tanuvasa Petone Mauga told the Samoa Observer, after initial investigations and interviews with eyewitnesses who were around the area at the time of the fire, they think a cigarette butt was responsible.
A TV3 employee told authorities he saw a white van drive into the Maria’s Mall parking lot soon after he arrived at work, but when the fire broke out he saw the van had left.
The fire started around 6 in the morning with the Samoa Fire and Emergency Services Authority and Electrical Power Corporation responding to the incident.
The firefighters saved some of the properties, while most of the two-story building was damaged.
Tanuvasa said it looks like someone threw a lit cigarette butt into the rubbish bin, and they’re looking at it as a cause of fire.
Due to the extremity of the fire damage, TV3 broadcasting station has moved to their other office in Vaitele.
The fire spread to their roof and about five of their rooms caught fire.
Owner of Maria’s Pharmacy and Talofa Airways, Maria Westerland-Hunter said, in a notice, that their Vaitele branch is open and they aim to open their Taufusi branch as soon as possible.
