Banilad fire victims housed in school

CEBU, Philippines - The victims of the other day’s fire in sitio Sampaguita, Barangay Banilad are now housed in the Banilad Elementary School.

The city government also put up tents at the area where the fire struck for those victims who do not want to stay in the school.

The Social Welfare and Development Office of Mandaue City continues to provide food and other basic necessities to the victims.

Mandaue City Vice Mayor Glenn Bercede said officials of Barangay Banilad are finding means to acquire rice, canned goods, blankets, mats, and kitchen utensils that they can hand over to around 100 families who lost their homes to the fire.

At past 1 p.m. last Saturday, fire destroyed 40 houses and damaged eight others in sitio Sampaguita. The damage was set at P1.2 million.

Bercede said Barangay Banilad’s Barangay Disaster Coordinating Council and the City Disaster Coordinating Council are working immediately on the requirements for the declaration of Barangay Banilad as a calamity area.

With this, Mayor Jonas Cortes would then release money from the city’s calamity fund that would further assist the victims on their needs, Bercede said.

Bercede also issued a warning to his constituents to always be cautious and secure their respective houses especially their electrical connection from time to time to avoid cases of fire.

The fire, based on the accounts of witnesses, started in one of the rooms for rent owned by Joseph “Jojo” Ongcoy. Tenants reportedly heard an explosion in one of the rooms before the fire.

SFO2 Roy Garcia, the fire investigator, said they asked the owner and tenants of the rooms to report to their office to shed light on the incident.

Garcia said they will resume their investigation today and they will also conduct another ocular investigation.

He said it was already confirmed that the explosion and fire started at Ongcoy’s rooms for rent, but they still have no idea as to what caused the fire. — (FREEMAN)