3 apartments hit by midnight fire
CEBU, Philippines - At least three structures in downtown Cebu City were hit by fire midnight Sunday just as the rest of the city was welcoming the Chinese New Year.
Senior Fire Office 3 Daniel Relatado said the fire originated from the apartment owned by one Ronnie Gutierrez being rented to Sammy Labuena at the Mercado Compound on Sanciangko Street.
Labuena told investigators it started with a spark at the circuit breaker and the fire immediately engulfed the apartment.
He said he immediately warned his neighbors, considering that the alley from the road to the apartment is a narrow one. The compound is located about 20 meters away from the main road.
The apartment is made up of mixed concrete and light mate-rials and the fire spread to two other apartments that Gutierrez owns. It also affected a portion of the back part of the University of the Visayas.
A fire wall, nevertheless, helped control the fire and firefighters were able to put it out about 15 minutes after receiving the alarm at 11:30 p.m. A firefighter also rescued a black dog from one of the apartments.
The fire scene is just two corners away from the Pari-an Fire Station. Firefighters from other stations also came to the rescue.
Damage was pegged at P250,000. (FREEMAN)
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