A family who lost everything when their house was destroyed by a fire this week also lost a sister in two separate incidents.
The Tāvō family in Ha’alalo were thankful no one was killed in the fire but their aunt ‘Elisapeta Sau Toetu’u died in Hawai’i, the week before the blaze.
Nāmoe Jr Tāvō, one of the Tāvō’s children and who was in Hawai’i to join her aunt’s funeral services said the family went to immigration office to process his mother Hekina’s visa to Hawai’i when the disaster struck.
The deceased was Hekina’s sister.
“Lucky no one was in the house when the fire hit,” she told Kaniva news.
Nāmoe said they lost almost everything in the fire.
The family’s house was partly damaged in tropical cyclone Gita after it struck the kingdom last month.
Fire Services attended the incident.
It is understood the cause of fire is still under investigation.