Fire damage pegged at P8M

CEBU, Philippines – A fire that broke out the other night at the Cebu United Investors Inc. building along Leon Kilat St., barangay Kalubihan, Cebu City caused damage estimated at P8.1 million.

The fire was called in at 9:02 p.m. and was immediately raised to the 4th alarm, it was considered under control at 10:10 p.m.

Six establishments occupy the two-story building; Ken’s Lodge, Pebusa Marketing, SL Lodge and SL Pawnshop, Cecile Enterprises and Customer’s Choice Eatery.

No one was reported killed, but 19-year-old Randy Atis, a stay-in worker of the Customer’s Choice Eatery, was wounded in the leg after he kicked a glass door to help the trapped owners of Cecil Enterprises get out.

Tina Empliyalis, one of the workers saved by Atis, said if it had not for his heroic actions, she and six others would have died.

Cebu City fire marshal Esmael Codilla said that the fire reportedly started at Ken’s Lodge but they are still investigating this.

Customer’s Choice Eatery owner Raymund Glinigo said that he saw the fire come from the 2nd floor of SL Lodge.

A caretaker of the SL Lodge also said in an interview with The Freeman that the fire could have started in their establishment after one of their appliances was left unplugged.

The BFP is also checking out reports that the fire could have been started intentionally by one of the tenants of the building who was reportedly asked to move out after not paying the rent.

Codilla said that though the building was concrete, the interior was made of light materials.

Aside from the six establishments, the fire reportedly reached the warehouse of Gaisano Capital South in the 7th floor of the department store and the 3rd, 4th and 5th floors of a building of the University of Cebu College.

Security guard Robert Bitos said that firefighters tried to get into the building but failed because their fire hoses were not long enough. However, it was not needed because the fire that spread to the school building was quickly controlled.

Firefighters from the Cebu City, Talisay, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and the Chinese fire brigade volunteers responded to the alarm. — AJ de la Torre and Christpoher Gabriel Bonjoc/BRP (THE FREEMAN)