Fire hits Boracay market, razes 135 stalls, 6 others

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — A fire erupted at a flea market early morning of September 18, at Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan, burning down 135 stalls, and 6 other edifices.

The fire at D'Talipapa at Boracay's Station 2 also razed five residential houses and a commercial building outside the compound, according to Catherine Fulgencio, officer-in-charge of the Malay Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Fulgencio said the number could change as the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) is yet to submit its final report.

According to the BFP, the fire call was logged at 4 a.m. The blaze, which was contained after almost five hours, allegedly started at stall 57, called the Flag Taste of India, owned by a certain Elizabeth Cuales.

The fire quickly engulfed the entirety of the D'Talipapa compound, since the stalls were mostly made of light materials only. Some stall owners were able to salvage their merchandise by bringing them to the front beach area.

Fulgencio said five fire trucks responded to contain the conflagration: Two from the BFP, two from the Boracay Fire Response and Volunteer Brigade, and one from the Shangri-La Boracay Resort and Spa.

As of this writing, seven families who were left homeless sought temporary shelter at a facility in Barangay Balabag, and Fulgencio said the local government unit already released assistance to the affected families.

It can be noted that last April a fire also hit Boracay Island razing down a souvenir shop at a shopping area at Station 2. On Christmas Eve of 2015, 40 houses were also razed at a residential area at Barangay Manoc-manoc.

An even bigger fire happened on June 17, 2015 when at least 400 market stalls and boarding houses were burned down at Talipapa Bukid in sitio Manggayat, causing damage to property of P48 million and 800 individuals homeless. (FREEMAN)