93 families homeless after Basak-San Nicolas blaze

CEBU, Philippines - A late afternoon fire destroyed at least 51 houses and caused an estimated P500,000 in damage in Sitio Colo Isla Alegre, Barangay Basak-San Nicolas, Cebu City yesterday.

The fire department received the alarm at 4:45 p.m. and managed to put the blaze under control at 5:39 p.m. after requesting all Cebu City fire trucks and those from the neighboring cities to respond.

City Fire Marshal Rogelio Bongabong said the fire reportedly started at the house of one Patricia Pahayahay.

While investigation is still ongoing, initial reporters had it that someone was cooking and left it unattended. Residents also claimed hearing an explosion prior to the incident.

A Cebu City fireman, only identified as a certain Fire Officer 1 Alburo, got injured at the fire scene. The nature of his injury was not yet known as of press time.

An alleged thief was also mauled by residents and subsequently arrested by the police after he was suspected of stealing a television set from a fire victim’s stash of belongings.

Based on an initial count of the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS), at least 93 families or 438 individuals were affected by the fire.

Basak-San Nicolas Councilman Norman Navarro said last night the fire victims shall temporarily stay at the gymnasium of Basak Community School.

If they would not be accommodated, he said, he will negotiate with the principal of Basak Elementary School to allow the displaced families to temporarily stay in their school.

Navarro said the lot where the fire took place was private-owned.

Bongabong shared that aside from the road being narrow; the houses were located in an interior portion of the area, making it difficult for firefighters to reach the scene.

He said they even had to connect twelve hoses together measuring a total of 600 meters just to reach the area.

He said the destroyed houses were made of light materials and were built very close to each other, resulting to the fire to quickly spread.

Bongabong recommended for a road reblocking so enough space would be set aside for firetrucks to easily penetrate the area for emergencies.

Bongabong said it was also windy that time that made it hard for them to put out the fire immediately. — Bryner L. Diaz, Grace Melanie I. Lacamiento/RHM