Fire hits Nueva Vizcaya public school

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines — Three school buildings were destroyed in a fire that hit a public elementary school in Kasibu town in this province on Saturday night.

The blaze, which started at past 5 p.m., quickly spread to the buildings of the Kakidduguen Elementary School in Sitio Panuypoy, Barangay Kakidduguen.

Marlon Butay, officer-in-charge of the Kasibu West School District, said the fire destroyed the classrooms being used by Grades 1 to 6 pupils.

Butay said classes would be suspended today  until Wednesday as school administrators and employees will build temporary classrooms and set up tents.

“We will also ask the help of the barangay officials. We will ask them to allow us to use the barangay hall and the gym to serve as temporary classrooms for the children,” Butay said.

Church leader Jonathan Bunuan of Kasibu appealed for help from individuals, organizations and the government to help them rebuild the school.

Local fire officials have yet to determine the cause of the blaze and the amount of damage.

4 hurt in CDO fire

Meanwhile, four persons were injured in a fire that left homeless close to 100 families in two adjacent barangays in Cagayan de Oro City on Saturday.

The victims were identified as Apolinario Diaz, 74; his wife Leoncia, 68; Sherwin Tahuyan, 39, and Richard Capahigal, 26.

The blaze reportedly started at the house of the Diaz couple in Barangay Puntod, according to Senior Fire Officer 3 Samson Velarde.

Leoncia reportedly forgot to check on her cooking as she was attending to another chore.

The couple tried but failed to put out the flames, which quickly spread to a row of houses in nearby Barangay Lapasan.  – With Gerry Lee Gorit