Smoke from Martin Store Limited fire continues days after the blaze began on Saturday night, raising serious health concerns around the area.

As of yesterday morning, thick smoke is still coming from the damaged building, with nearby residents, staff, and customers voicing concern.

Owner of Martin Store Limited, Susu Yu, told VBTC News that the smoke has already affected staff health, forcing two workers to leave work on Monday after feeling unwell.

“The smoke is still coming out, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. Some of our neighbours and customers have also complained,” Ms. Yu said, adding that she has asked authorities to step in and help.

Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon. Andrew Napuat, acknowledged the limitations of the country’s fire service, and said he plans to meet with VMF this afternoon to discuss long-term improvements.

“For cases like Martin Store, where the fire is at the back and trucks can’t access it, you need a larger fire truck with high water capacity. We need to start thinking ahead. Until we have a full policy in place, we’ll work on improving the fire unit’s capacity and resourcing,” Minister Napuat said.

Chief Executive Officer of Airports Vanuatu Limited, Jason Rakau, said their team responded after a request came in from VMF — but only because the timing did not clash with airport operations.

“We have limited vehicles, and when we’re in active airport operation, we can’t always release them. In the case of the Martin Store, the request came outside operating hours, so we were able to assist,” Rakau explained.

Minister Napuat confirmed that work is underway on a policy paper to strengthen fire response capabilities in the future.