338 houses gone in separate fires

CEBU, Philippines - When a certain Princess Rama, 23, lighted a candle inside a room in her house yesterday noon, little did she know it would wipe out a neighborhood in Barangay Calamba, Cebu City.

Rama went to the comfort room to quickly relieve herself and by the time she got out, the candle’s flame had already gobbled up the pillows and a foam bed.

It did not help that the area near A. Lopez Street was packed with houses closely built to one another, making it easier for the fire to spread.

The fire alarm was received at 12:40 p.m. and declared fire out at 2:04 p.m. Within that period, some 218 houses had been razed.

At least 309 families were left homeless, data from the City Hall’s Department of Social Welfare and Services showed.

“Based sa among initial investigation, kandila ang rason sa sunog. Gihatagan si Princess sa iyang silingan nga gikan og kandila gikan sa Simala. Iya kining gidagkutan ug iya kining gibutang sa iya kwarto. Naay kutson ug unlan didto, siguro ngadto nahagbong ang kandila,” said Senior Fire Officer 3 Alberto Jagdon Jr.

Jagdon said Rama tried to put off the fire in the room but it proved too late.

Bureau of Fire Protection-7 Director Senior Supt. Samuel Tadeo said the narrow road leading to the fire site made it difficult for firefighters to penetrate the area and provide immediate response.

“Sobrang sikip po nung daan kaya nahirapan na makapasok yung mga trucks natin. Gawa medyo nang maraming informal settler and mga light materials din kaya mabilis na kumalay yung apoy,” he said.

Chief Superintendent Jose Mario Espino, Police Regional Office-7 director, who was among those who responded to the alarm, also said response was difficult because of the lacking water supply and the relatively strong wind that fanned the flames.

The Bureau of Fire Protection-7 raised the fire to a general alarm status, which means that all firefighting units within and around Cebu were asked to respond.

A total of nine fire trucks went to the scene to help douse the blaze but some residents complained about the delayed response.

“Wala gyud nagresponde largo ang mga firemen. Mao hingkalat gyud ang sunog,” said a certain Analyn, 38, resident of the place.

“Kung hing responde pa largo sila, dili unta modako ang sunog ug gamay ra unta ang ma-damage ani nga sunog. Partly, ma-blame pod nato sila about ani nga insidente,” she added.

Espino, in an interview with reporters after the fire, later explained that the narrow roads leading to the fire site had prevented them from quickly putting out the fire.

Almost all the fire stations in Cebu City responded to the alarm, according to Tadeo.

He disclosed that two firefighters were injured while responding to the fire. However, they suffered minors cuts and bruises but were already out of harm’s way.

Firefighters have pegged the fire’s damage between P500,000 and P1 million.

DSWS head Leah Japson said the department will give assistance to the victims, including food packs, for the next three days.

The department has yet to identify other kinds of assistance to be extended to the victims, including the possibility of giving financial assistance.

Fire survivors are temporarily staying at the barangay gymnasium

Mandaue fire

Late afternoon yesterday, another fire erupted at Sitio Lower Malibu in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City, affecting at least 120 houses and leaving about P1.5 million in damages.

Tadeo said initial investigation pointed to an electrical misuse as the cause of the fire. However, this is still subject to further investigation.

Just like in Calamba, narrow spaces hindered firefighters in their response to the Subangdaku fire.

“Maliliit and mga iskinita. Ang kailangan mag-allocate talaga ng daanan ng fire truck para mabilis marespondi ang apoy,” said Tadeo. (FREEMAN)