Lahug restaurant reduced to ashes

CEBU, Philippines - A restaurant was reduced to ashes by a fire in Sanson Subdivision, Barangay Lahug, past 1 a.m. yesterday.

Frank Dinsay, operator of Ocean Garden Seafood Restaurant, said he was sleeping in his house when he heard a noise from the adjacent restaurant, prompting him to check, thinking a thief may have entered the establishment.

But what Dinsay saw was thick smoke coming from the restaurant’s chimney. He then heard the sound of shattering glass, finally realizing that the restaurant was on fire.

“Naa koy nadunggan nga nagboto-boto unya pagtan-aw nako naka-detect na ko’g aso diha sa chimney,” Dinsay narrated.

Firemen from different fire stations arrived and helped put out the fire. Damage was set at P250,000.

Cebu City Fire Marshall William Tacaldo said the restaurant was made of light materials so it was immediately engulfed in flames.

Tacaldo said they are still trying to determine what started the fire.

Although Dinsay lost his business, he was thankful that the fire spared other nearby structures including his house.

While everyone was busy putting out the fire, a fireman and a fire volunteer allegedly got into a fight.

Senior Fire Officer 3 Cleto Fullido, commander of Lahug Fire Sub-station, allegedly punched fire volunteer Roy Unabia because he wore the uniform of the Bureau of Fire Protection.

Unabia alleged that Fullido suddenly punched him in the right side of his face, prompting him to raise his voice against the sub-station commander.

Fullido allegedly claimed Unabia was not a volunteer of the Lahug Fire sub-station, but Unabia’s fellow volunteers spoke on his behalf.

“Nagkupot ko sa nozzle kay nag-overhauling mi, miduol man na’ siyag kalit nako ang hepe mideretso’g panumbag. Pwede ra man unta ko niya ingnon sa tarong. Tungod lang atong uniform,” Unabia complained.

He then explained that he washed his fire coat so he had to borrow the uniform of the chief-in-charge of the fire volunteers, or else he would just be wearing a sleeveless shirt.

Fullido, in an interview over Balitang Bisdak, denied punching Unabia.

“Nagpahimangno ra ko niya. Ako siya gipangutana asa na man ang fire coat na akong gihatag nimo?” Fullido said, saying he won’t mar his 20 years of service in the BFP just by punching anyone.

Tacaldo said Fullido will be replaced if it is established that he indeed punched the fire volunteer.

Non-BFP personnel have been prohibited from wearing the official BFP uniform following a theft incident in Barangay Kamputhaw last month wherein the thief wore a BFP uniform. —(FREEMAN)