Fire hits 7 houses in Ginatilan town

CEBU, Philippines - An early morning fire gutted six houses and destroyed another in Barangay Poblacion, Ginatilan town, yesterday.

The fire reportedly started at the house of retired teacher Clemente Caca, 70, who allegedly left a cooking fire unattended in his house to have a haircut in a barbershop just nearby.

The rice he was cooking in his dirty kitchen was eyed by fire investigators as the cause of the fire.

The houses gutted by the fire were owned by Elvira Yu, Anastacia Cabañog, Teodora Cabañog, Pria Ruiz and Emma Chilby. The house of Vicente Duma-boc was destroyed.

No one was reported injured in the incident.

SPO2 Arnold Omaña of the Ginatilan Police Station said that parents taking their children to the Cabatuan Elementary School that morning were the first to notice thick smoke coming from the house of Caca.

“Nanimaho kuno og sunog nga kan-on unya kalit naay niulbo nga kayo,” Omaña said in a phone interview.

Caca was not around when the fire broke out.

Police immediately radioed the Malabuyoc Police Station where the fire station was located. Firefighters declared the fire under control around 9:20 a.m.

Damaged was pegged at P650,000.

Those who lost their homes are temporarily sheltered with their relatives.     - THE FREEMAN