Fire razes furniture shop, house

CEBU, Philippines - More than P300,000 worth of property went up in flames after a fire hit a furniture shop in Nasipit, Barangay Talamban, Cebu City on Christmas Day.

Firecrackers were believed to have triggered the fire at Adolfo’s Furniture, which spread to the house of furniture shop owner Rebica Eraldo, 52.

Senior Fire Officer 1 Edgardo Gabato of Talamban Fire Station said firemen were immediately dispatched to the area after receiving a report about the fire from the residents.

Gabato said the fire started at a roofless area of the shop where light materials were placed.  The owner believed that a firecracker might have landed on the place, creating the fire.

The flames immediately spread to the production area of the shop and destroyed the establishment including the already-made furniture inside.  

It reached and also razed Eraldo’s house located beside the establishment.

The fire was put under control at 1:45 a.m.

Gabato said they had a hard time immediately responding to the area because of the unavailability of their firetruck. Firetrucks from barangays Mabolo and Lahug and from San Carlos University were the first to respond to the area, he said.

Gabato said they have already reported the problem to the City Fire Department as well as the problem on their phone number.

Meanwhile, another fire  razed a two-storey house in Barangay Luz on Thursday.

At least P5,000 worth of property were damaged by the fire reported at 10 p.m., investigation showed.

SFO1 Christopher Orbiso of the City Fire Department said the blaze originated at the living room located on the first floor of the house owned by Ramon Pelayo.

Pelayo, Orbiso said, noticed smoke emitting from the living room and upon checking, he saw melted plastics near the air-conditioning unit that reportedly overheated.

The fire was immediately put out and only damaged the house’s ceiling.

No persons were reported injured in both incidents. (FREEMAN)