Owned by a certain Pacifico Benetiz and was made of concrete materials, the house was razed by the fire about 5:30 in the afternoon. The fire, however, did not spread to the neighboring houses.
PO1 Ivy Catipay, a member of the Samboan Police Station, told The FREEMAN that they received the fire alarm around 6:00 p.m., but added that the fire was already totally burned when firemen from the towns of Malabuyoc, Ginatillan and Santander arrived. Samboan has no fire station.
Catipay said their investigation revealed that according to the house owner's daughter, Virginia Bañoles, the fire started at the sala when somebody was about to plug the electrical switch to iron the clothes.
However, Catipay said investigation is still ongoing to determine the real cause of fire, which consumed at least P500,000 worth of properties, including a motorcycle and several home appliances.
No one was hurt during the incident, Catipay added. - Norvie S. Misa/LPM