Electrical Fault Cause of Fire

By Lagi Keresoma

APIA, SAMOA – 12 APRIL 2022: The Chief Executive Officer of the Fire & Emergency Services Authority (FESA) Tanuvasa Petone Mauga has confirmed that an electrical fault caused the fire at the Supreme Courtroom One late yesterday morning.

The fire which started around 11.30am disrupted the Court of Appeal hearing and Court police evacuated not only those present in Courtroom one, but also the other courtrooms.

The fire was first detected by the Court IT technician who was monitoring the video link between the local and overseas judges and counsel for the hearing that was in progress.

When informed of the situation, His Honour Chief Justice Satiu Simativa Perese stopped proceedings and warned everyone to be careful not to inhale the smoke already circulating in the room.

As people were moving out, Collin McCarthy, a construction owner who was in court, calmly walked towards the side of the courtroom, opened the metal cabinet, got the fire extinguisher and sprayed the electrical switch where smoke was coming from.

The FESA firefighters arrived 15 minute later and noted that there was still smoke coming out of the electrical switch indicating that the danger was not over.

They got to work and the Court electrician was also on hand and gave their clearance some forty minutes later.

The Court proceedings later continued for the rest of the afternoon.