CEBU, Philippines - Four houses were burned down while three others were damaged when a fire struck Barangay Pasil, Cebu City yesterday morning.
An 18-year-old man, Kevin Mosqueda, was also injured when debris hit his left arm while he was helping put the fire out.
The fire started around 9:30 a.m. and residents saw the flame coming from the second floor of a house owned by one Alfredo Cuizon, said SFO3 Roylin Maratas.
Only Cuizon’s son, Ariel, who is of legal age, was left at the house at that time, but he also rushed out to seek help from neighbors when the fire broke.
Maratas said a certain Alvin Iburan tried to put the fire out with the use of an extinguisher but the flame was too big for him to handle.
“Wala na madala kay dali ra kaayo nakadako ang kayo,” Maratas said.
Further investigation is ongoing but Maratas said they are not discounting the possibility that an appliance that was plugged in or fire used in cooking might have started the incident.
“Dako og posibilidad nga unplugged nga appliances pero kana posibilidad lang kay ang mga affected atong gipatawag para imbestigaron,” Maratas said.
The houses that were burned down were owned by Corazon Abellana, Arciña Premacio, and Marcelo Miñolas. Those that were damaged were owned by Liwayway Fernandez, Fatima Iburan and Imelda Abanilla.
All these houses were made of light materials. Firefighters placed the fire under control in 20 minutes.
Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella said that because the area has been re-blocked, it was easier for firefighters to penetrate it this time.
“Dali ra na pawng ang sunog kay okay na ang dalan, na-reblocked naman na sila ug dali ra naka-penetrate ang mga responding fire trucks,” he said.
Firefighters, however, said belongings of residents that were placed in the narrow road still provided obstacles.
“Sagad gyud problema aning mga squatters area kay ang dalan. Bisan pa og magpatrolya mi diha, huot nana daan. How much more kung dunay sunog… unya ang mga tawo nanagan unya ibilin ang gamit sa dalan unya balik napud sa ilang balay,” Maratas said.
A second alarm status was raised for the incident, which prompted barangay fire brigades and Filipino-Chinese fire volunteers to back the city’s firefighters up.
About 103 people were left homeless by the fire. Damage was pegged at P100,000.
Labella said that fire victims will be housed temporarily at the barangay sports complex.
Department of Social Welfare and Services head Ester Concha also said the 21 affected families will receive cash assistance from the city government. Housing materials and food will also be given out to the fire victims. — Ria Mae Y. Booc, Jean Marvette A. Demecillo and Samuelle Joyrin C. Caing, USJ-R MassComm Intern/JMO (FREEMAN)