Twelve people are now homeless after an early morning blaze destroyed their one bedroom house at Waidradra housing settlement in Navua today.

When the fire fighters arrived at the scene this morning the house was well engulfed in flames, and fire fighters were able to draw water from a nearby fire hydrant, and quick action stopped the fire from spreading to nearby houses.

According to the National Fire Authority the owner of the house, his wife, eight children and another couple were sleeping inside when the timber and corrugated iron house caught fire, however they were able to escape safely through the back door, when one of the family members felt the heat and alerted the rest of the family.

Initial investigations indicate that the fire could have started from a mosquito coil that had fallen on a door mat and caught fire.

NFA has again called on people to take precautions.