Fire razes firecracker store in Lapu-Lapu City

Firefighters make sure that the fire will not start again at a firecracker store  in Sitio Kinalumsan, Barangay Canjulao, Lapu-Lapu City on Dec. 28, 2019. | CDND Photo/ Alven Marie A. Timtim

CEBU CITY, Philippines — “Akong bana 35 mil ang monthly ana unya naa pa koy anak nga tulo, unya asa man kog isupport?

(The monthly money needed for my husband’s health care is P35,000 and I have three children. Where will I get the money to support them now?”)

This was the dilemma of Rosalie Berden, 44, the wife of James Berden, 81, the owner of the firecracker storage establishment that caught fire this afternoon, December 28, 2019.

The fire did not only burn the firecrackers they were supposed to sell for the New Year’s celebration but also damaged at least five of the about a dozen rooms that the Berdens were renting out.

Fire Officer 3 Euletuere Baguio, of the Lapu-lapu City Fire Department, said the fire started at the second floor of the storage room at around 2:24 p.m.

The fire was raised to third alarm at 2:30 p.m. and was declared under control at 3 p.m. The Lapu-lapu City Fire Department declared a fire out at 4 p.m.

Police Staff Sergeant Dan Gacoscosim, of the Lapu-lapu City Police Office’s (LLCP) Station 3, told CDN Digital that they will have to investigate if the owners violated some safety rules in storing the firecrackers, which could have resulted to the fire.

Based on the accounts of the residents near the area, a loud explosion rang out before they saw a thick black smoke coming from Berden’s establishment,  which was immediately followed by the rising fire.

Baguio placed the fire damaged at P100,000.

According to Rosalie, her husband have been in the business of selling firecrackers for more than 20 years now, which eventually led him to buy more lots beside their storage area where he built rooms that he rented out.

Since her husband could no longer walk and is on medication, she was already in charge of the business, said Rosalie.

Rosalie said they earn more from their firecracker business, but since it was only during the Christmas and New Year holiday season that they earned from it,  their room rentals served as their main source of income.

With the loss of their rooms for rent, Rosalie said she longer knew how to keep her family financially afloat.

“Wala na gyud koy panginabuhian. Na ngompra gani unta ko para maka bawi-bawi,” lamented Rosalie.

(I no longer have a livelihood. The reason why I purchased that much firecrackers was because I wanted to recover the funds we spent this year.)

Rosalie and her family live across the destroyed storage area, which was fortunately spared by the fire.

She said she also has her convenience store, but it could only cover for small household expenses.

The Berden couple’s children are all minors, with ages ranging from seven to 12 years old.

“Mag ampo nalang gyud ta ani (We could only pray),” said Rosalie./elb