A woman tried to save her belongings from the fire that razed a densely populated area in Barangay Kamputhaw, Cebu City. | Photo by Junjie Mendoza
At least 70 houses were razed by a fire that hit a highly residential area in Purok 3, Barangay Kamputhaw, Cebu City on Wednesday morning (December 5).
The Bureau of Fire Protection in Central Visayas (BFP-7) estimated the damage at P1 million.
The alarm was received at 10:20 am and was raised to a second alarm at 10:25.
It was later raised to a Task Force Alpha at 10:45 to mobilize firefighters from neighboring local governments.
Cebu City Fire Marshal Noel Ababon said that houses burned from the fire were made of light material.
The fire was placed under control at 11:15 pm, he added.
On the other hand, the city’s Division of Welfare and the Urban Poor (DWUP) found out that the site razed by the fire is owned by the University of the Philippines Cebu (UP Cebu).
DWUP operations officer Genevieve Alcoseba said their office is planning to negotiate with UP Cebu representatives to allow the city government to do a reblocking in the site.
“We’re trying our best to allow the fire victims to reconstruct. That’s why we will be reaching out with UP Cebu,” said Alcoseba.