Student dead, 50 families affected by Banilad fire

CEBU, Philippines - A 17-year-old medical technology student of the Cebu Doctors’ University met his untimely death when a fire hit the house he was staying at in Barangay Banilad, Cebu City Saturday.

Adrian Lorenzo Tecson, a native of Dipolog City, was reportedly sleeping when the fire broke at nearly 3 p.m. The victim’s routine was reportedly to sleep from around 9 a.m. to around 4 p.m. or 5 p.m.

Authorities said it was possible that Tecson did not hear the noise from outside because his room was well sealed because of the air-conditioning.

“Wala mi kahibalo kung nganong buntag na matulog unya estudyante man. Possible dunay gibuhat o nag-working ba kaha (We’re not sure why he sleeps during the day. It’s possible that he was working on something or had a job),” said Mabolo fire substation chief SFO4 Angelito Cariño.

Tecson’s body was buried in rubble and was unrecognizable when found.

“Nagpinangitaay na man unya kini siya wala man kit-i unya iyang kwarto apil man gyud ug kasunog (We were trying to account for the residents but he was nowhere to be found at first. His room was really eaten up by the fire),” Cariño added.

At least 20 houses were destroyed and at least 50 families were displaced by the fire, which was put off after around two hours. Damage was pegged at P200,000.

Most of the houses ravaged by the fire were made of light materials.

Billboards collapsed and fell on the other houses.

The city government will be giving a P10,000 cash assistance to each of the 315 individuals who were left homeless. Department of Social Welfare and Services Chief Ester Concha said the city has already provided them with relief goods and will subsequently give them housing materials.

“Nakahatag napod dayon mi nila og mga habol aron naa sila’y makatulgan  (We gave them blankets right away so they would have something to use for sleeping),” Concha said.

The victims are housed temporarily at the barangay’s gymnasium. —/JMO (FREEMAN)