Fire destroys 12 houses in Duljo

CEBU, Philippines - Residents of Sitio Santa Cruz, Barangay Duljo-Fatima, having breakfast yesterday were interrupted after a fire broke out around 9 a.m. yesterday, destroying 12 houses and damaging two others.

The fire, which was raised to the third alarm, caused an estimated damage pegged at P130,000, said Cebu City Fire Department’s Senior Fire Officer 1 Lowel Opolentisima.

Firemen and fire trucks from the different fire stations in the city rushed to the area and helped one another in controlling the fire. Fifteen minutes after they arrived at the scene the fire was considered under control, said Opolentisima.

Based on their investigation, Opolentisima said the fire started in the house of a certain Teresita Alsola, particularly in the room of her son Ryan, who was not around when the fire broke out.

The fire investigator said the fire can be traceable to electrical misuse. He suspects that an appliance at Ryan’s room may have overheated or sparks from wires that caused the fire.

Opolentisima said they will invite Ryan to shed light on their investigation into what triggered the fire.

Zaldy Racaza, whose house was also reduced to ashes, said he was eating breakfast with his family when he noticed flames coming out of Alsola’s house nearby. He stopped eating and rushed to alert his family and neighbors about the fire. Racaza said they were not able to save anything because he secured his family first.

Despite losing their homes, Racaza said they are relieved that nobody was killed or even hurt by the fire.

“Bintaha na lang nang mga kabtangan mawala kaysa kinabuhi,” he said.

Opolentisima said there would have been lesser houses affected by the fire if the area had been easily accessible. Apart from having a narrow pathway leading to the burning houses, the fire investigator said the area was a dead-end.

He said firefighters had to connect hoses together to reach the burning houses since fire trucks could not pass through.

The 55 victims comprising 16 families are now temporarily sheltered at the barangay complex and were given immediate assistance such as packed meals, medicine kits, food utensils, clothes and blankets, among others.  (FREEMAN)