Fire hits boarding house; damage set at P150T

CEBU, Philippines -  Around P150, 000 worth of property went up in smoke during a fire that hit a three-storey building along Lapu-Lapu Street, Barangay San Jose, Cebu City yesterday morning.

The building, owned by Nick Limkonhoy, was being rented by Rachel Echavez, who utilized it as a boarding house.

Senior Fire Officer 2 Tristan Tadatada of the Cebu City Fire Department said the fire was reported at 6:35 a.m. and was declared under control in five minutes.

The fire, he said, left the building totally damaged. Luckily, no casualties were reported.

According to Tadatada, the fire had already spread from the ground floor to the second floor of the building when they arrived in the area.

Initial investigation showed that the fire was triggered by electrical misuse.

Based on the testimonies of the boys who were guarding the building that time, there was an explosion on the ground floor shortly before the fire broke out.

Echavez said it was still a good thing the fire broke out during the holiday season when most of the boarders have gone to their hometowns to celebrate Christmas.

Christel Tarsinde, 20, who was among the boarders, said she was sleeping time when the fire hit the building.

Tarsinde and her companions, who were staying at the boarding house, hail from Bohol and are in Cebu to sell goods at downtown during night market.

She shared that she was able to wake up just when the flames and the thick smoke have started engulfing the building. She and other occupants, two of whom were pregnant, rushed out of the building.

They were not able to recover any of their belongings but were able to bring the money they have earned from the night market.  (FREEMAN)