Fire razes 84 market stalls in Iloilo

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — At least 84 stalls at the old market of Estancia town in Iloilo were reduced into ashes following a conflagration Monday evening.

Records from the Bureau of Fire Protection showed that 20 other stalls were partially destroyed.

The fire started at around 8:00 p.m. and quickly spread, reaching to the third alarm and had fire trucks from neighboring towns of Balasan, Batad, Sara, Lemery, San Dionisio, and Barotac Viejo in Iloilo; and of Roxas City, Ivisan, and volunteer groups from Capiz responding to the call.

Two hours later, the fire was under control and authorities estimated that 90 percent of the market stalls were totally destroyed, most of which were grocery stores, pharmacies, and merchandising stores.

Initial investigation revealed that the fire originated from a stall located in the middle of old market. A family reportedly lived in the area despite that the local government disallowed such. They were cooking when a fire ignited and spread at a store selling slippers and shoes.

Damage to property was pegged at P5 million. It was gathered that the old market has been in existence for several years already until a new public market was built nearby.

Early that day, a 53-year-old man died in a fire that razed two houses at Brgy. Bantud in La Paz district of Iloilo City. The victim, identified as Jose Rene Añis, who suffered from a mental illness, was left alone when the fire started in his house.

Based on the initial investigation, Añis allegedly set his house, a one-storey facility with mezzanine floor, on fire about 2 p.m. of Monday.

The conflagration immediately spread to an adjacent two-storey house owned by Dominador Guzman. The damaged to property was estimated to cost P100,000. (FREEMAN)