THE MORNING AFTER. The aftermath of the 2-hour fire that razed 40 houses in Sitio Bucog, Barangay T. Padilla, Cebu City in the evening of Jan. 4, 2020. | CDND Photo/Gerard Vincent Francisco
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) is having a hard time establishing the cause of fire that burned down 40 houses and displaced at least 36 families 0r 124 individuals in Sitio Bucog, Barangay T. Padilla, Cebu CIty on Saturday, January 4, 2020.
This developed after the BFP investigators found almost all of the electrical wirings from the burned down houses were already taken by either their owners or by the other persons scavenging for a living.
Fire Officer 2 Fulbert Navarro said they pleaded with the residents and asked the barangay for help in announcing that the wirings must not be taken from the area as this would have an inspection for their investigation.
“Despite nga gipabantayan unta namo, gipanguha man gyud,” said Navarro.
(Although there were persons asked to guard the area, others were still able to sneak out the wirings.)
Navarro said they are now relying on the statements to be given by the occupants on the second floor of the boarding house, which was said to be where the fire started.
However, Navarro said they are yet to talk to a certain Aya Padilla who was reported to be one of the occupants of the second floor who was also not in the area when the fire happened.
Navarro said two individuals were recorded injured during the incident. He identified the victims as Maria Villeña, 80, who suffered second and third degree burn on her upper extrimity and her sons Rene Abellana, 39, who sustained second degree burn on his upper extremity.
Meanwhile, Harold Alcontin, city disaster risk reduction management officer (CDDRMO) told CDN Digital that most of the affected persons were renters and some of them refused to stay in the barangay’s gymnasium to temporarily take shelter.
He said almost all of the victims pleaded to stay near the Public Market and some in the fire incident area.
“Di sila ganahan mamamiya kay layoan sila sa gym,” said Alcontin.
(They did not want to leave as the gym was too far for them.)
Alcontin said they instead provided tents and bamboo slats chair where the families could rest.
Free packed meals will also be served for the next three days according to Alcontin.
As of noon Sunday, Alcontin and his team are still validating the number of houses, families and individuals affected by the fire.