123 families left homeless

CEBU, Philippines - A total of 123 families, in all 501 individuals, were left homeless after a fire hit sitios Abya and Puntod in Barangay Mambaling yesterday morning, destroying at least 50 houses.

The fire, which was raised to second alarm, reportedly left damage worth at least P500,000.

Cebu City Fire Marshal Rogelio Bongabong Jr., said they received the alarm at 9:26 a.m. yesterday. The fire was considered under control 10:15 a.m. while total fire out was declared at 3:10 p.m. Extra care was taken with the overhauling operations as surviving structures in the area were made of light materials.

He said they received information that the fire started in the house of a certain Felly Socatre, although there was also a report that it started in the house of a certain Linda Campaner. The houses of the two are just beside each other.

Suzette Lasky, 40, whose house stood beside Socatre’s and Campaner’s, said she was still sleeping when she was awakened by shouts. She went out of bed to check outside but saw that the fire was already very big. She was no longer able to go back inside her house to save anything.

“Paggawas nako, dako na man ang kayo, nigawas na lang mi gikuyog nako akong mga anak,” said Lasky as she cried. She said she has lived in that house since she was a young girl.

Another resident, Ruben Zapanta, 39, was only able to save a chair and a few containers. He also suffered a wound in his forehead after he was hit by falling debris from his burning house which stood the houses of Socatre and Campaner.

Zapanta, who lives in his house with his siblings, said he was doing carpentry works outside when he heard his nephew shout about the fire. After saving what he could, Zapanta said he helped the firefighters try to stop the fire but debris from the roof of their house fell and hit his forehead.

Zapanta was immediately treated by a paramedic team on standby at the area.

Senior Fire Officer 4 Roylim Maratas, fire investigator, said the initial information they received is that the fire started from the house of Campaner. He said a boy named Carlo testified that he saw the fire start from the roof of Campaner’s house. The spark allegedly came from the electric wires.

However, Maratas said they also received information that the sparks originated from Socatre’s house.

Socatre said she was downstairs when she heard her son-in-law shout about the fire. She said when she went upstairs to check, she saw that their walls were already on fire and it was already very hot. She repeatedly tried to get the money they saved for the baptism of her grandchild this coming Sunday but failed. 

She would later rub ice on her face which had turned red from the heat as she waited for the fire to be put out.

“Wa gyud mi nakuha bisan sinina,” said Socatre, adding they just went outside to save themselves.

Socatre said she was also not certain if the fire started from her house or from Campaner’s since they just share the same wall.

“Pero kana among kuryente, nagbitay ra man na. Ambot lang kaha sa ilaha Linda (Campaner) kay usahay maglung-ag pud raba na sila sa ibabaw dapit,” said Socatre.

With this, the fire investigator said they will invited Socatre and Campaner to their office for questioning. Maratas also said they had a hard time penetrating the area since the roads were narrow and a lot of kibitzers milled around the fire area, limiting their movements.

The survivors are now housed in Mambaling Elementary School.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said initial findings of the city government reveal the property is under the city’s slum improvement resettlement program.

Since fire trucks had trouble reaching the area he said they will re-block the area to better respond to any alarms in the future. —/BRP (FREEMAN)