90 families displaced by big fire in Basilan

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines -  More than 90 families were left homeless when abig fire hit a slum community in Isabela City, Basilan Sunday night,  a fire department official said.

No one was reported injured or hurt in the conflagration but 33 houses were razed  at Zone 2, Barangay Kaumpurnah about 8:30p.m Sunday, according to city fire marshal Senior Inspector Dionisio Caduyong.

Caduyong said the fire, believed sparked by faulty electrical wiring in one of the houses, quickly spread since most of the houses were constructed right next to each otherand were  made of light materials.

Fire probers estimated the cost of damage of the fire to have reached P400,000, excluding personal valuables of the victims who  temporarily took shelter with their relatives and in the village's covered-court.

The Isabela City government said the number of victim families was higher than the number of houses since many of the victims shared houses.

The local government led by Mayor Cherrilyn Santos-Akbar extended relief assistance and directed the local city council to hold an  emergency meeting and pass resolution to provide financial assistance to the displaced families.