Fire destroys 5 houses in Apas

CEBU - A fire destroyed five houses in sitio Upper San Miguel, barangay Apas, Cebu City yesterday morning.

Fireman received the alarm at 9:53 a.m. and had the fire under control 18 minutes after arriving at the scene. Damage was set at P700,000 with no reported injuries, according to SFO2 Felix Romero of the Cebu City Fire Department.

Apas barangay captain Ramil Ayuman said the fire will be investigated after he remembered that last week some residents of the said place requested him to post a barangay tanod there because of an alleged arson threat. Ayuman also said 150 families living in the area were given only until March next year to stay in the area after the Court of Appeals ruled that the Godinez family owns the lot.

Meanwhile, Ayuman assured the victims that he will help them rebuild their homes even though the court already issued a decision.   The Department of Social Welfare and Services is still trying to determine the number of people affected while Ayuman called his councilmen to have an emergency session regarding the incident. — Christopher Gabriel Bonjoc/BRP   (THE FREEMAN)