Petrol station rebuilt after double tragedy

A petrol station at Malifa, set alight in March as a result of a tragic domestic violence incident that killed two people, is being rebuilt.

Located opposite Apia Primary School and next door to the Ligaliga Funeral Service, the gas station has been closed since the incident as it was slowly being restored. 

The Owners of the gas station, who also owned a shop that was attached to it, were not at the site when the Samoa Observer visited. 

One of the two people that died in March was a young woman in her 20s identified as Fa’aselega Vailoaloa Tuna of Vaiafai Savai’i. She was employed at the Malifa petrol station. 

She was killed by her partner before he set the petrol station of fire.  The body of the man was later found not far from the crime scene. 

In response to queries from the Samoa Observer, Deputy Police Commissioner, Papali’I Monalisa Tiai Keti said the case has yet to be closed. 

“The matter is treated as an Inquest case,” she said. 

“[It] has been referred to the Office of the Attorney General to await the date of Inquest as per Coroners Act 2017.” 

One of the eyewitnesses that worked at Ligaliga Funeral Service said they saw the man allegedly stabbed the woman. 

"We ran outside and we saw she was covered with blood so we called Fire and ambulance,” he said. 

At the time, F.E.S.A. Deputy Commissioner, Tanuvasa Petone Mauga, said the deceased man's body was found in the Anglican Church compound, next to the gas station.

He said fortunately the fire did not spread to the next building where liquefied cooking gas cylinders were stored.