Fire razes 272 Tawi-Tawi houses

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Probers are still clueless on the cause of the fire that razed 272 houses in a seaside village in Bongao town in Tawi-Tawi just before Christmas.

Inspector James Ra, Tawi-Tawi fire marshal, said residents dislocated by the fire that struck the adjoining barangays of Sheik Makdum and Tandu Banak in Bongao, are now housed in makeshift sites or are staying with relatives in nearby areas.

The island town of Bongao is the capital of Tawi-Tawi, a component province of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Ra said the offices of Tawi-Tawi Gov. Nurbert Sahali and Rep. Ruby Sahali, are now attending to the needs of the displaced villagers.

Investigators have placed the fire damage at P19 million.

Ra said the Bongao fire station, led by FO3 Wagner Kamlian, is still investigating the cause of the fire, Tawi-Tawi’s worst in more than two decades.

Ra said the regional social welfare department has also been helping provide rehabilitation services to the fire victims.