Fire hits residential area in Maguindanao town

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines - Twenty-five houses were razed by a fire that hit a residential area in Datu Odin Sinsuat town past 3 a.m. Wednesday, displacing 30 families, authorities said.

Supt. Warlito Daus, regional fire marshal of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said arson probers are still trying to determine what caused the fire that razed the 25 houses along a national highway straddling through Awang District in Datu Odin Sinsuat town.

“It was a dawn fire and, (reportedly) it started in a videoke pub. We still have to validate the initial information gathered by our investigators,” Daus told reporters.

He said responding firemen from nearby Maguindanao towns, from Cotabato City, including volunteers from the city's Chinese Fire Brigade, helped douse off the fire.

“We are thankful to all of them. The fire would have spread fast and destroyed more houses if not for their prompt assistance,” Daus said.

Daus said operatives of the Datu Odin Sinsuat municipal police, led by Inspector Datu Tulon Pinguiaman, are now helping investigate on the incident.

The displaced families are now confined in a makeshift evacuation site and in nearby houses of relatives.