At least 25 houses made of light materials were gutted by fire that hit Sitio Danao-Danao, Barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City at 10:35 a.m. Friday.
SFO1 Habjiludin Samonte, fire investigator of Lapu-Lapu City Fire Central District, revealed that fire started at the house of Arlene Alecante because of an unattended cooking fire.
The fire spread immediately eating up houses made of light materials as residents vacate through a narrow access leading to a gate of an adjoining subdivision, he said.
The responding fire trucks were able to control the fire after 20 minutes, Samonte said.
Macrena Alecante, mother of Arlene, said her daughter’s children were left alone in the house as Arlene was at the subdivision working as laundry woman while Arlene’s live-in partner was away to buy incubated fertilized eggs or locally called “balut” to cook and sell later in the evening.
Their children who were left at home cooked their food with the use of lighted firewood that were left unattended and caused the fire.
Aside from one person who sustained a cut in the head, Samonte said no one died or was reported to be seriously injured in the fire. Damage was pegged at P70,000.