CEBU, Philippines – Over 500 families were left homeless as an estimated P2.8 million in property went up in smoke late Sunday night in sitios Lemonsito and Mango in barangay Umapad, Mandaue City.
Fire officials estimated that a total of 280 houses were totally burned leaving 506 families homeless.
The victims are now temporarily housed at the Umapad barangay gymnasium.
Mandaue City Fire Marshal Oscar Mayol said that they received the fire alarm at 11:15 p.m. and immediately declared a general alarm.
Firemen put the blaze under control in about an hour, but it took them three hours and a half before they declared a fire out.
Mayol said that two witnesses alleged that the fire started at the residence of Bonifacio Llanto, which they said started after an electrical spark.
He said that they will summon the two witnesses today for further investigation.
Mayol also denied accusations coming from residents in the area that their trucks had no water when they responded to the fire alarm.
He said that it is only normal that the fire trucks would run out of water when fighting the blaze.
He even challenged those who doubt his statement to visit the fire station anytime and check if the tanks are full.
The fire marshal said that the fire readily spread because of the heavy winds and it was difficult for them to penetrate the area since the scene was in an interior portion.
Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes, who rushed to the fire scene, assured the victims that they would be given some construction materials and food good for three days by the city.
Marlon Atuel, spokesperson of the City Social Welfare Services Department, said that they would validate their list of 506 families and classify them as house owners, renters and sharers.
Atuel also said that the provincial government has also promised to extend their aid to the fire victims.
Meanwhile, another fire also hits ten boarding houses in sitio Canlingo, barangay Sabang, Danao City last Sunday afternoon.
These boarding houses are occupied by workers of Cebu Mitsumi Corp.
SFO3 Darwin Almacin, fire investigator of the Danao Fire Station, said that they received the alarm at 2:40 p.m.
Based on their investigation, the fire started in a room rented by a certain Redin Paalisbo at the house owned by Liza Brigoli.
Damage in the fire was pegged at P1.2 million. — /NLQ (THE FREEMAN)