Flashlight left charging overnight causes fire

CEBU, Philippines - A flashlight that was left charging overnight allegedly caused the fire that razed a house in Barangay Lepanto, Alegria town past 3 a.m. on Friday.

Jesus Alcibar Sr. woke up past 3 a.m. on Friday and noticed that the adjacent room to his room was already on fire. Alcibar asked for help and his family and neighbors tried to put out the fire but it quickly spread throughout the entire house.

Alcibar’s relative reported the incident to the police past 9 a.m. on Friday and they then called up the Moalboal Fire Station, which has jurisdiction over Alegria.

Senior Fire Officer 2 Lito Villarubia and FO1 Gibson Hortelano, along with Senior Police Officer 4, Faustino Filipinas, and PO1 Julemark Yap, went to the fire scene to investigate.

Alcibar told investigators that past 8 p.m. on Thursday, his grandson charged a flashlight in his room, but left it overnight.

Since the house was made of light materials, it was easily razed by the fire, leaving only the galvanized iron on the ground. Luckily, no one was hurt in the incident.

The damage was pegged at P90,000. — Bryner L. Diaz/ATO (FREEMAN)