Morning fire razes 32 houses in Tejero

CEBU, Philippines - Barangay Tejero in Cebu City has been placed under a state of calamity after a fire destroyed at least 32 houses and displaced at 84 families in Villagonzalo II early morning yesterday.

No one was injured in the incident.

Barangay Captain Jesselou Cadungog said the barangay council had to place the barangay under a state of calamity so that it can use the P70,000 calamity to purchase relief goods for the victims.

Ester Concha, head of the Cebu City Department of Social Welfare and Services, said the victims will be given free mails for three days but the office will do its best to give more. The victims are currently occupying a vacant lot owned by a barangay official temporarily.

SFO3 Roylen Maratas said they received the alarm at 5:10 a.m. and were able to control the fire 25 minutes later. The flame was put out completely at 9:11 a.m.

Initial investigation revealed that the fire started at the house of one Reynaldo Lañas. Authorities suspect a kerosene lamp, candle or mosquito killer might have caused the fire since Lañas’ house had no electrical connection. Lañas’ house, as well as those of his neighbors, were made of light materials, which made the fire spread easily.

One of the victims, Zeny Ondog, 31, said their neighbor’s house was already on fire when she awakened. She immediately woke the rest of her family up and they rushed out of their house.

“Nakurat nalang ko kay ang balay sa among silingan nasunog na, abi nako ug gadamgo ko,” Ondog said.

Collin Rosell, head of the Department for the Welfare of the Urban Poor, said the city government will re-block the area as a precautionary measure.

 “Generally, makabalik gyod na sila pero mag-review pa ta sa mga documents para ma-arrange gyod nato sila og tarong,” he said. (FREEMAN)