Fire burns 2 houses, hurts couple

CEBU, Philippines - A couple suffered injuries when a fire broke out yesterday morning in their rented house in Sitio Ubos, Barangay Basak San Nicolas.

Alejo and his wife Loreto Tacbobo sustained third and second degree burns, respectively, while trying to escape from the raging inferno.

Loreto, 59, said she was awakened by the fire at 7:27 am which she said was caused by a lighted mosquito coil.

Loreto, who suffered second degree burns, said she was not able to salvage their properties from the fire because she attended to her paralyzed husband first. Alejo escaped from the fire but suffered third degree burns on his face and chest. The couple was immediately rushed to the Cebu City Medical Center for treatment. 

The fire razed the couple’s rented house from Rosemarie Uy and gutted a nearby two-storey house owned by Arturo and Lucita Fernandez.

Cebu City fire marshal Aderson Comar said the fire was declared under control 10 minutes after it was tapped at 7:27 am. Comar pegged the damage at P45,000.

Lucita, who was not around when the fire broke out, said she was still thankful that no one in her family was hurt.

“Bisan pa ma’g nasunog among bay, mapasalamaton gihapon ko kay wa’y naangol sa akong pamilya,” Lucita told The FREEMAN.

Lucita said she left her two children inside their house but were able to escape from the fire.

She asked the barangay officials to help them because they were not able to salvage anything from the fire.

 “Mohangyo unta ko sa mga Barangay Officials nga matabangan mi kay wa jud mi’y nasalbar sa among mga kabtangan,” she said.   - (THE FREEMAN)