CEBU, Philippines – A fire burned down two residential units and a barangay hall at past 8 p.m Monday at sitio Parola in Barangay Ibo, Lapu-Lapu City.
Senior Fire Officer 1 Hadjiloden Samonte of the Lapu-Lapu City Fire District said the fire was caused by an overheated refrigerator, owned by Jesus Jumao-as, whose house was just behind the Ibo Barangay Hall.
The fire spread out into the house of Edwin Tulod, and then burned the two-storey barangay hall.
Residents first tried to throw pails of water into the flames but these only grew bigger and went out of control.
Firefighters later arrived at the scene and had the blaze under control, then put it out at 9:45 p.m.
Samonte said there were bucket of paints placed inside the barangay hall at the time. He added there were neither injuries nor fatalities, but the damage to property was pegged at about P450,000.
Samonte said the Jumao-as and Tulod families temporarily took shelter at the houses of their respective relatives.
In a separate interview, Mayor Paz Radaza said the city was planning to renovate the barangay hall before fire ate up the building that night.
“Actually due pa siya for bidding unya nasunog man ang interior. Mabawo gyud ko og pabag-o tanan. Usbon gyud siya ug ayuhon gyud siya. Temporarily, ari ra man sa atubangan (sa barangay hall) gusto ang barangay captain, duna man na secure nga plywood, ako na to gipahatdan ron. Butangan lang una og temporary office nila,” the mayor said.
Radaza assured the affected families she will help them. —/RAE (FREEMAN)