Residents of Barangay Suba flee their homes as fire engulfs another area of the barangay. Monday’s blaze was second to happen in Barangay Suba in less than a month (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON).
AT least 81 houses made of light materials were destroyed in a fire that hit a residential area in Barangay Suba, Cebu City on Monday morning.
No one was hurt in the second to have hit the barangay in less than a month.
Cebu City Fire Marshal Rogelio Bongabong said they received the fire alarm at 11:28 a.m. The blaze was placed under control at noon.
Based on their investigation, Bongabong said the fire started at the house of a certain Lolita Biton. A busted liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tank was seen to have caused the fire.
Investigators had yet to determine the damage.
Lea Japson, head of the city’s Department of Social Welfare Services, said at least 213 families (851 individuals) were displaced due to the fire. Some of the victims, she said, were placed in evacuation sites while others stayed in the houses of their relatives.
Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office head Nagiel Bañacia said the city distributed food packs to the victims.
He said the financial assistance to the affected families is now being processed including housing materials.
Bañacia added that reblocking would also be negotiated.
“The rescue vehicles had a hard time entering the area because of small roads. There should be a reblocking,” he said.
At least 220 fire incidents were recorded by the Bureau of Fire Protection in Cebu City since January this year. Of these incidents, 17 individuals, mostly minors, died.
Majority of the fire incidents in Cebu City were caused by faulty electrical wiring and unattended open flame like lighted candles, the BFP-Cebu City record showed.
Bongabong appealed to the public to be extra careful and to invest on early warning devices like smoke detectors and heat sensors.
He said each house should have fire extinguishers and alternative exit doors.
“When you’re asleep, please turn off the devices and equipment which are not needed. Also avoid octopus electrical connections,” Bongabong said.
Last October 25, a fire hit another densely populated area of Barangay Suba, burning down close to 70 houses at dawn.
The blaze was caused by a candle left burning on top of a plastic monobloc chair.