Mandaue fire leaves 200 families homeless

CEBU, Philippines - More than 200 families lost their homes when a fire hit the interior portion of Barangay Jagobiao, Mandaue City yesterday noon, destroying 200 houses and damaging four.

No one was reported hurt or killed in the incident, damage was estimated at P2 million.

The fire alarm was received by the Mandaue City Fire department at around 11:37 a.m. yesterday and placed under control 48 minutes after firefighters arrived at the scene.

Firemen said they had difficulty in penetrating the stricken area as it was located in an interior portion and the affected houses were also made of light materials and the fire was quick to spread.

They also said the nearest accessible fire hydrant was quite far, in fact it was located in the next barangay, Barangay Basak, according to fire investigator SFO3 Roy Garcia.

There was a fire hydrant in the immediate area but it was allegedly fenced inside a lot owned by a certain Atty. Hontanosas, according to caretaker Rolly Galeon.

Garcia said that that they will be talking with the lot owner soon to make the fire hydrant visible so that it can be used should another fire occur in the barangay.

Initial investigation revealed that the fire originated at the house owned by a certain Laurencia Dumalagan, although the cause was not yet established. Neighbors reported noticing that the fire started in the ceiling of Dumalagan’s house.

A certain “Cecille” also said she heard a loud burst in the house of Dumalagan before the fire started.

Some neighbors said a nine-year-old girl was left cooking inside Dumalagan’s house while others alleged that the girl was playing with a burning piece of paper.

Jelma Flores, owner of the house in front of Dumalagan’s, was not able to rescue any of her belongings as she rushed her children to safety first. When she came back her house was already on fire.

Flores has lived there for more than 10 years but said she does not know who is the real owner of the lot they are occupying.

Jagobiao Barangay Captain Ma. Editha Montesa said, the lot is owned by the Metro Cebu Water District, Eversley Child Sanitarium and private owners, no notices have been sent to residents to vacate the lot.

The fire victims are now worried that they will not be allowed to rebuild their houses there.

They are temporarily housed in the Jagobiao National High School which is near the place, Mayor Jonas Cortes immediately ordered the Department of Social Welfare and Development to assess the situation and provide food to the fire victims.

Employees of the Jagobiao Barangay Hall helped cook their food yesterday as most affected residents failed to salvaged most of their things.

Cortes will also try to look at the complaints raised by residents why the Consolacion town fire trucks did not responded immediately when they were just located nearby. (FREEMAN)