The cause of the fire that destroyed a home in Vaivase-tai on Saturday could not be ascertained even after investigations were completed.

Fire and Emergency Services Authority Tanuvasa Petone Mauga told Samoa Observer that they concluded their investigations on Wednesday.

"After thorough investigations into the fire that damaged the Va'ai residence, we could not identify the actual cause of the fire," Tanuvasa said.

He said while the investigation was inconclusive, he was proud of the effort from his team. He said it was not easy battling the blaze on a dry and windy day.

Firefighters worked hard to control the blaze. While they could not save the home, they managed it from spreading to the connected structures. 

The fire is believed to have started around 10 am last Saturday. It did not take long for the inferno to blaze its way through the family home connected to two family businesses, Pate’s Hirage and Vicky’s Jams. 

The smoke from the blaze could be seen from a distance coming from the double-storey wooden structure.

A family of five stayed in the home that was destroyed and another family stayed in the connected structure. and thankfully no one was present at home when the fire started.

Tanuvasa advised the public to unplug all electrical appliances if they're not in use and to get certified electricians to wire homes to avoid electrical faults. 

He said it was important to always be mindful if something was being cooked and to place mosquito coils in containers that do not catch fire and away from curtains.

He said prevention was always better. He added parents should teach children about the dangers of fire and keep inflamable material including matches and lighters away from children.