ILOILO CITY, Philippines – At least 140 houses were totally burned in a fire that hit a residential area in Brgy. Tabucan of Mandurriao district in this city Saturday afternoon.
No one was initially reported killed or injured in the fire that started at about 2:30 p.m., and reached the third alarm before it was put out at around 4 p.m., or about an hour and a half after.
According to Chief Insp. Jerry Berte, chief of the Bureau of Fire Protection–Iloilo City, the fire spread quickly in the area since the houses were made of light materials and were clustered closely together.
Strong winds also fanned the fire to quickly gobble the houses, and that firefighters also found it hard to penetrate the area because of tight alleys, said Berte.
Arson investigators have been verifying information that a neglected cooking might have caused the fire. Residents also pointed at the origin of the fire originated allegedly from the house of a certain Dante Velez, alias Nono.
Initial information from the City Social Welfare and Development Office stated that 240 families were affected by the fire, most of whom are now staying at the covered gym and at the Tabucan Elementary School. (FREEMAN)