5 houses razed, man hurt in Carreta fire

CEBU, Philippines — A 34-year-old man was injured while at least five homes were razed by fire that hit a residential area in Sitio Mahayahay, Barangay Carreta, Cebu City yesterday morning.

Allan Tarongoy suffered a laceration on his right leg when he hit a galvanized iron sheet while helping in putting out the fire.

The fire, which was reported at 12:13 p.m., burned at least five structures. The fire was put out roughly 30 minutes later.

Damage was estimated at P30,000.

The fire started in the two-storey house owned by Ritchie and Jessel Salinas, said Senior Fire Police Officer 1 Rogelio Dabalos, the case investigator.

Dabalos said an electrical short circuit may have caused the fire.

Ritchie and Jessel were downstairs doing laundry when they suddenly heard a loud cracking sound from the second floor where their two-year-old son was, said Dabalos.

They immediately went upstairs and found out that their house was already on fire.

Dabalos said the fire continued to spread as the house was made of light materials, leaving four nearby houses burned.

“Sikit ang mga balay and kasagaran made of light materials,” he said.

Ermita fire

Meanwhile, newly-elected Ermita Barangay Captain Mark Rizaldy Miral promised to hasten the release of calamity assistance for the fire victims.

An amount of P33,750 or 25 percent of the village’s disaster or quick response fund worth P135,000 will be allotted for the fire victims.

The barangay has P450,000 in disaster fund, which is broken down into 70 percent or P315,000 for calamity fund and 30 percent or P135,000 for QRF.

The fire last week left three children dead, 10 wounded and 2,500 people displaced.

The fire quickly engulfed their two-storey house in Sitio Kawit, Barangay Ermita, Cebu City, before it spread to over 300 other homes in the seaside urban poor village.

Aside from the calamity aid, Miral said he will also follow up the P1-million donation from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

He said the money will be spent for the housing materials that will be benefited by at least 262 households. — Chelsey Gaile B. Lapingcao and Marienel M. Janea, CNU Interns (FREEMAN)