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A video of Tuimala Uinisē Moala, a Vava’u, Tonga-native dying in a housefire has gone viral on social media.
The 46-year-old failed to exit her home, which was on fire. Netizens have since taken to social media to express disdain over those who were recording the jarring moments instead of offering help. One person said that while the victim was burning inside the house, people were recording the video and questioned what they did it for, the user said, "5 seconds of fame while someone lost their life?"
Law enforcement revealed that Tuimala and her husband were in their three-storey residence when their home got engulfed in flames. The husband managed to escape the building, however, his wife remained trapped in the fire.
Police also shared that the couple’s neighbors and her husband attempted to save Tuimala. However, they were not able to reach the victim in time.
A video of the distressing moment was uploaded to Facebook. Kaniva News claimed that the clip showed a woman screaming for help and calling for what seemed to be her husband.
Law enforcement also revealed that they were aware of the video being circulated online. They added that some misinformation about the incident has been making its rounds online.
Netizens pay tribute to Tuimala
Internet users were left appalled by the incident. Many paid tribute to Tuimala and also expressed condolences to the victim’s family and friends. Some also criticized police officials and the fire department for their inability to bring the victim out of risk. A few comments online read:
“I was overwhelmed”: Cousin grieves for the late victim
Limapō Hopoate, a cousin of Tuimala, said in an interview:
“Since her death I was overwhelmed and find myself in a very stressful situation.”
Hopoate also shared that the victim’s family is still grieving the devastating loss:
“Things are still very raw and the family are dealing with their own emotion at this confusing time.”
She went on to compare what the family is currently experiencing to a “tsunami.” She also shared that they were trying to understand exactly what happened that led to the victim’s death, and said:
“At the same time we are trying to piece together the many fragments of info to establish a clear picture of what happened.”
Sources claimed that the victim’s body was laid to rest on 9 November, Wednesday.
Tips to prevent and escape a building on fire
Escaping a fire can be difficult due to the vast amount of smoke that makes it tough to breathe and see. One must have a plan and practice executing the same, to remove oneself from the situation as quickly as possible.
Some methods in escaping a burning building can include identifying one’s exits. This can be done by choosing the closest door or window to get out of the building. Having fire exits in a large building is also essential.
One must also move out of the building quickly without taking time to grab anything or get dressed. Checking doors for heat can also be beneficial, as there may be fire on the other side of the door. Staying low to the ground to avoid smoke inhalation is also extremely important.
If a person does catch on fire, they must immediately drop on the ground and roll to extinguish the flames.
