CEBU, Philippines - A 17-year-old inmate allegedly started the fire that gutted a portion of the Barotac Viejo Police Station in Iloilo province.
A witness reportedly saw John Louie, an inmate from Ajuy town in Iloilo, at around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday threw a lighted cigarette into a pile of fish nets at the old detention cell of the police station in Barotac Viejo town.
A policeman on duty noticed the fire and quickly asked for assistance from the Bureau of Fire, which immediately responded and declared a fire out around 5:40 p.m. of the same day.
No one was reported injured in the incident, which damage to property was pegged by fire investigators at P200,000.
The teen inmate is facing a case of robbery and carnapping before the Regional Trial Court-Branch 66 in Barotac Viejo. — Jennifer P. Rendon (FREEMAN)