Fire blamed on two kids

CEBU, Philippines - A fire that might have been caused by children playing with matches destroyed two hou-ses and damaged another in Barangay Tisa, Cebu City yesterday morning.

Senior Fire Officer 1 Albert Jagdon said that they received the alarm at 9:40 a.m. and respon-ding fireman managed to control the fire in 10 minutes, extinguishing the last ember at 11:45 a.m.

Because the scene was in an interior portion of the place, firefighters had to connect more than five hoses so they could douse the burning homes with water. And though there was a vacant lot the firemen could position themselves from, it took time before they could because the lot was fenced and the caretaker still had to cut the wires that served as fence.

Good thing the lot’s caretaker was present and he immediately cut the wires so the firemen could penetrate the scene.

Jagdon said that initial investigation showed that the fire originated at Jerry Ecunas’ two-storey house.

The flames spread quickly to King’s Apartment rented by a certain Bebe Largo and Igan Pacquiao, and the two-storey home of Benito Caburnay.

Jagdon said the cause of the fire is still under investigation; initial information received, however, showed that two children were the ones who allegedly accidently started the fire.

Unsupervised, the children managed to get hold of matchsticks, which they lighted and used in starting the blaze.

“Base sa pag-interrogate nato sa mga bata posporo ang ilang giduwaan posibleng maoy hinungdan ni sa sunog,” Jagdon said.

Rosemary Ecunas, 24, said that she was with her three-year-old son and her nephews when the fire hit.

They were watching a television show at  the second floor when she heard her neighbors shouting that their house was on fire.

The first thing she thought of was to save their belongings that was left in their room but it was already too late, the flames spread fast and engulfed the house.

Ecunas said she lost to the fire all their savings and their important documents.

Her family has a sari-sari store at the ground floor and is into the business of making home-made chorizo for a living.

Ecunas’ parents were in Leyte when the incident happened. Her father’s motorcycle and the machines they use in their business were among those burned by the fire.

Jagdon estimated the damage at P80,000. – Bryner L. Diaz/RHM (FREEMAN)