P1M lost as Tejero fire razes 80 houses, damages 10 others

Firefighters continue to battle the fire in Sitio Silangan 2, Barangay Tejero, which was then raised to Task Force Alpha at 6 p.m. This means that assistance from firefighters in other cities and towns are sought to help put out the fire. | Zena V. Magto

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A late afternoon fire razed 80 houses and damaged 10 others in Sitio Silangan, Barangay Tejero in Cebu City on Friday, April 26.

Fire Senior Inspector Noel Ababon, Cebu City fire marshall, described the fire as the biggest one to hit  Cebu City this month.

Ababon placed the damage to property at P1 million.

Last April 22, seventeen houses in Barangay Lahug were razed by fire.

Read more: At least 17 houses razed in Lahug fire

Ababon also said that there were three persons, who were injured at the height of the fire.

He, however, said that they were still trying to identify these persons and were still trying to verify what the injuries they suffered.

He said that they received the fire alarm at 4:50 p.m. and this was raised to the first alarm at 4:57 p.m., where at least two fire trucks would respond to the fire, and at 5:02 p.m. the fire was raised to second alarm, where at least two more fire trucks would be added to battle the fire.

At 5:11 p.m., the alarm was already at Task Force Alpha, where fire fighters from neighboring towns and cities to help put out the fire.

At 6 p.m., the fire was placed under control.

As of 8:52 p.m., the fire fighters were still overhauling the area.

Ababon said that they were investigating claims that kids playing with fire allegedly started the fire.

He said that they had to verify this claim.

He said that the fire started at the house of Shirley and Preciano Karomayan, which was being rented by Joei Bantugan.

Tejero Barangay Captain Hermogenes Galang Jr. said in an interview with CDN Digital that the barangay were already preparing the food for the fire victims, who were temporarily staying at the Tejero Sports Complex.

Galang said that they were buying 100 loaves of bread and were preparing porridge for the food of the fire victims.

He said that they would be meeting with the barangay council to discuss if they would declare a state of calamity in the barangay.

Galang said he was not sure if the fire victims could return to the lots where they built their homes because the area where the fire occurred was a government property.

He said that they would tap into the fund for the barangay for these cases./dbs