3 fire incidents struck Cebu, Mandaue on Black Saturday

CEBU, Philippines - Hours before the celebration of Easter Sunday, several families in Barangays Guadalupe and Tisa in Cebu City and in Barangay Tabok, Mandaue City lost their homes to an evening fire.

Mandaue City's Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office Head Felix Suico yesterday said at least seven houses were razed by the fire at 11 p.m. in Sitio San Vicente Ferrer in Barangay Tabok, Mandaue City.

Suico said the fire quickly spread in the area since most of the houses were made of wood and light materials. The fire affected homes and sari-sari stores beside the automobile showroom in the community.

The fire was reported at 11 p.m. and placed under control 16 minutes later.

Fire investigators have yet to determine the cause of the fire and the cost of the damage to the property.

In Barangay Tisa, Cebu City, two houses in Saturn Street, Sitio Caduloy, were hit by the fire that started around 10:04 p.m.

According to the Bureau of Fire Protection, a house owned by Avelino Atillo was totally burned down, while an apartment got damaged by the fire.

Fire investigators received the alarm around 10:04 p.m. and was controlled around 10:20 p.m.  The fire was completely put off around 11:44 p.m.

Fire investigators said the fire was caused by an unattended stove reportedly in Atillo's house.

Estimated cost of damage was around P80,000.

In Barangay Guadalupe, seven houses in Green Village Subdivision were also burned down and two others were damaged by a separate fire past 11 p.m. on the same evening.

Investigators are yet to know the value of the damaged properties, since the incident is still under investigation.

No one got injured and no casualties were reported in the three fire incidents.  —/GAN (FREEMAN)