16 families lose homes in Christmas Day fire

CEBU, Philippines - At least 16 families spent their Christmas under a tent after a fire of undetermined origin razed their homes in Sitio Apple, Barangay Cogon-Pardo on Christmas Day.

Thirteen houses were totally destroyed while two others were gutted by fire that allegedly started in the two-storey semi concrete house owned by Cliff Fernandez at 3:37 p.m., Saturday.The fire department estimated the damage at P900,000.

No fatality or injury was reported during the fire which lasted for more than one hour. The fire department raised the alarm to Task Force Alpha which means that firemen from the neighboring cities responded to help put off the fire.

Senior Fire Officer 2 Vic Mercado said they are still conducting investigation to determine the cause of the fire. Mercado admitted that they are facing a blank wall as to the cause of the fire.

What would have been a merry Christmas celebration for the residents in the place turns out to be cheerless Christmas. The residents were forced to cancel their scheduled fellowship on the day because of the fire.

Amelita Mariñas, 53, said they were supposed to hold games for the kids that night as what they used to do every evening of December 25.

“Nag-amutay na gani mi para sa premyo ug sa kaon-kaon. Kada-tuig na jud ni namo nga tapok-tapok, lingaw-lingaw ba,” Mariñas said.

Mariñas said that they have to sleep under the tent provided by the barangay officials during the night instead of their cozy houses where they earlier had their Noche Buena.

“Tugnaw lagi tawn, luoy labi na ang mga bata. Kinsa jug tawy magdahum nga lingaw pa kaayo mi unya masunugan diay taod-taod,” Marina Consolacion, 28, said.

Consolacion said they are hoping that construction materials will be given to them at the soonest possible time for them to be able to rebuild their houses.

Gina Sanchez, another fire victim, could not help but criticize the first responding firemen.

“Mura’g mga hubog, Gi-hang over pa tingali to sila. Dugay nakataod sa mga hose unya nag-katawa-katawa na hinuon. Ang ilang tangke, gamay pa jud ang tubig,” Sanchez said.

She added that the fire was able to spread because of the firemen’s delay in connecting the hoses./FPL (FREEMAN)