1 dead as 4 fires hit Cebu

CEBU, Philippines -  At least four fires hit three areas in Cebu in less than two days, killing an 85-year-old man in the southern town of Sibonga.

The first hit Barangay Candaguit, Sibonga at around 10 p.m. Thursday followed by another in Barangay Looc, Mandaue City midday yesterday. The third one occurred in Tisa, Cebu City past 1 p.m. followed by another at around 4 p.m. in Barangay San Roque, also in Cebu City.

In Sibonga, the charred body of Willington Lopez Sr., 85, was found under the debris of his house after the fire was put out one hour later. Firefighters believe a candle that was left unattended may have started the fire.

“Wala man silay suga. Dunay emergency light pero kandila may gigamit unya either natumba ang kandila o nahilis nga wala mabantayi… naa ra ana ang hinungdan,” said fire marshal Roel Tumongha.

Lopez lived with his son, Ramonsito, 28, but the latter was in Lapu-Lapu City at the time of the incident.

“Sayo ra man na sila matulog pero anang 5:00 p.m. nilakaw ang anak pero nagpalit kuno ning biktima ug kandila sa tindahan,” Tumongha said.

Residents noticed that the fire started at the kitchen, a part of the house that was made out of light materials.

Damage was estimated at P60,000.

Midday yesterday, a fire engulfed a factory, a store, an apartment, and a house and damaged an apartment and machine shop in Looc, Mandaue City.

As of last night, investigators were still investigating the cause of the incident and where it started.

Some residents said the fire originated from a store and quickly spread to the plastic factory. Workers at the warehouse said they were eating lunch when they heard loud explosions and subsequently saw galvanized irons going up into the air and black smoke was coming out of the warehouse.

The intense heat catapulted paint canisters to as high as 70 feet into the air with the canisters exploding in midair and spraying down paint, prompting authorities to drive residents away from the area. Several people were hit by the falling canisters but no one was seriously injured.

The incident caused heavy traffic and responding firemen found it difficult to immediately penetrate the congested area.

Classes from the nearby Comprehensive National High School had to be suspended.

Residents there lamented that the factory should put up a “firewall”, considering that its products are mostly made out of combustible materials.

The affected residents are houses temporarily at the gym in Barangay Looc where personnel of the City Social Welfare Services cooked food for them.

At past 1 p.m., a fire hit the storage building of the People’s Educational Supply in Barangay Tisa, damaging visual aids for schools.

About four hours later in Cebu City, close to 400 families lost their homes when a fire hit the whole stretch of Palma Street in Barangay San Roque.

Palma Street was wide enough for firefighters to penetrate the area easily but the challenge was getting into the interior portions. The extreme heat also did not make it easy for the firemen. Cebu City Fire Marshal Rogelio Bongabong, Jr. said the alarm was raised to Task Force Alpha by 4:25 p.m.

The wind also contributed to the fire spreading easily and houses made out of light materials caught the fire fast. The fire reportedly started at the three-story house of a certain Nora Villarin but the cause was yet to be determined as of yesterday.

Perfecto Pamolarcon Jr., who was at Palma Street also said he was standing on the street when he noticed a thick smoke coming from Villarin’s house.

“Nagbarog ko dinhi (Palma Street). Pagtan-aw nako, dako na man kaayo ang aso, didto nagsugod sa ilang Norma,” he said.

“Bebe”, a resident of the area, said he was tending to his sari-sari store when his neighbor told him the house next to his was on fire. He was able to save only his clothes and television, the latter’s plastic frame melted by the heat.

Residents said Villarin was renting the house out and he only went there to collect payment.

The fire was controlled after around 40 minutes but not after it razed close to 100 structures.

Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella who visited the scene said the lot where the structures were built belongs to the city government. He assured that fire victims will not be displaced, as instructed by Mayor Michael Rama.

San Roque Barangay Captain Lidiore Miranda said he will call for an emergency session so that the Barangay Council can place the area under a state of calamity. The affected families are housed temporarily at the barangay gym.

Damage was pegged at P500, 000. — Ria Mae Y. Booc, Flor Z. Perolina, Bryner L. Diaz, Samuelle Joyrin C. Caing  /JMO