106 families lose home in night fire

CEBU, Philippines -  A fire razed 47 houses in Barangay Bakilid, Mandaue City Monday night, leaving 106 families homeless.

Aside from the houses, several motorcycles were also burned. Damage to property was pegged at P1 million.

Investigators said the houses were made of light materials, which made the fire spread easily. Firefighters also found it difficult to penetrate the area, which is located in the interior portion of the barangay.

The alarm was received at 9 p.m. and the fire was controlled after about 40 minutes, but firefighters put it out completely only after seven hours at 3 a.m.

Bakilid Barangay Captain Dionisio Villamor said the fire started on the first floor of a two-storey house owned by one Rodrigo Baranggan. It was reportedly triggered by a spark coming from a phone charger, but SFO1 Julius Lua of the Mandaue City Fire Department said the information needs to be verified.  

He said they will be inviting Baranggan and other witnesses in the investigation.

Fifty-six of the affected families took shelter temporarily at the Bakilid Elementary School while the others sought refuge at the barangay chapel and the church of the Iglesia ni Kristo.

Villamor said he is hoping that the affected families can still go back to the area considering that the lot is a private property owned by a certain Sally Jayme. It measures 3,000 square meters. If Jayme decides otherwise, Villamor said he would ask the city government to provide relocation for the residents.

If  the residents would be allowed to return, Villamor said the area needs to be re-blocked so that roads would be wider.

Villamor said the barangay has placed Sitio Marfa under a state of calamity and has set aside P300,000 from its calamity funds for financial assistance for the affected families.

Cebu sixth sistrict Representative Luigi Quisumbing also distributed relief and ready-to-eat relief goods to the fire victims yesterday.

Quisumbing said that even in the absence of the Priority Development Assistance Fund, his office will continue to help residents in the district who are affected by calamities even if it means he would shell out personal funds. In fact, he said, relief goods and medicine are always on standby at his district office, which is located in the barangay.

Aside from Quisumbing, Board Member Thadeo Ouano also distributed pots, blankets and other basic necessities to the fire victims. The city's Social Welfare Services office distributed ready-to-eat food good for three days.  (BANAT NEWS)