Aboitiz residence catches fire

CEBU, Philippines - The househelp first heard a clicking sound from inside the circuit breaker near their quarters. Sometime later, fire was slowly eating up the house owned by businessman Enrique Aboitiz in Bauhinia Drive, Barangay Kasambagan late yesterday afternoon.

The fire was controlled within 15 minutes after seven fire trucks responded to the alarm, but Cebu City Fire Marshall Esmael Codilla said about 80 percent of the house was badly damaged. The fire department received the alarm at 4:17 pm.

Aboitiz and his wife, both at their 70’s, are safe. They were rushed outside the house when the househelps became suspicious of the clicking inside the circuit breaker. The fire broke out moments later.

Investigating officer FO3 Antonio Gonzales said they pegged the initial damage at about P4 million owing to the many expensive items inside the house.

The cause of the fire could not be determined as of yesterday, but Gonzales suspected it was due to electrical problems.

Gonzales said it was fortunate that the neighboring houses are located meters away, which prevented the fire from spreading. He said the couple’s children have requested that investigation be continued today. — THE FREEMAN