San Fernando fire blamed on cat

CEBU - A cat allegedly caused a fire that gutted down a house in barangay Pitalo, San Fernando at around 12:56 a.m. yesterday. 

The owner of the house, Alfredo Manlosa, said the structure was an ancestral house that was divided into rooms that were leased to Fernandez and Epi families.

San Fernando Fire marshal SFO4 Virgilio Gilig revealed that during their initial investigation, it was learned that the fire started at the room rented by the Fernandez family.

The family believed a cat might have bumped the lamp while they were asleep that caused the fire.

Fortunately, all the occupants of the house were immediately awakened when the fire broke out and managed to get out of the house.

Gilig said that when they arrived at the area, the house was already 80 percent burned. The fire, which was placed under first alarm, was controlled in 10 minutes.

Fire fighters from Naga City and Carcar City also responded to the alarm but failed to save the house.

Reports said that Manlosa cut the electric connection of the house because the renters failed to pay their monthly bills.

San Fernando fire station pegged the damage at P80,000. — Christopher Gabriel Bonjoc/WAB (THE FREEMAN)