Satuiatua Beach Fales destroyed by major fire

By Talaia Mika

APIA, SAMOA – 06 NOVEMBER 2022: The iconic Satuiatua Beach Fales, at Sailua, Savaii have been destroyed in a major fire while the owners and most of the village were at church Sunday morning.

Videos and photos of the blaze circulated on social media platforms this morning showed the main fale which contains the restaurant, bar lounge, kitchen, reception and it is the operation centre gutted in flames.

According to Satuiatua village residents who helped put the fire out, the owner of the business, Leilua Tutogi Mailei explained with tears that the cause of fire started from the kitchen.

“They forgot to turn off the stove when they left for church so it fired up and blew up the gas tank which literally blew up the whole house,” a resident explained.

The Tree House next to the fale that caught fire was also destroyed.

The Fire and emergency services authority trucks arrived later but the building had completely been burnt down.

Saved however were the air conditioned rooms and guest fales around the burned building.

The Beach Fales owner and long-time businesswoman, Leilua Tutogi Mailei is one of the many tourism business owners who were looking forward to the reopening of international borders to revive the tourism business.

In previous media interviews, she said the whole village benefitted from the business with employment opportunities and guests using local services and buying local produce and handicrafts.