Black smoke can be seen rising from the fire right behind the YMCA Building, Barangay Sta. Cruz, Cebu City on Thursday evening, Sept. 2. This is the second fire that his the barangay in three days. | Contributed photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — At least 100 individuals lost their homes after another fire erupted in a residential area in Brgy. Sta. Cruz on Thursday, September 2.
Fire investigators said a total of 16 houses were burned down by the early evening fire that affected 20 families or around 100 people.
While there were no reported casualties, at least three residents sustained first-degree burns, said Fire Officer 3 (FO3) Fulbert Navarro.
Navarro also said they are verifying reports that a child went missing when the fire struck.
“Walay ngalan gihatag sa amoa pero nakadawat mi ana nga info. Mao na atong ginaverify pa na run and nagpadala na ta ug investigators sa ground (fire site) para icheck,” said Navarro.
According to the fire investigator, the flames started at a house owned by a certain Hernanda Ramos.
Firefighters in Cebu City received the alert at 6:04 p.m. and immediately raised it to 1st alarm due to the density of houses affected.
Flames were placed under control 40 minutes later and by 7:16 p.m., authorities declared a fire out.
Damage was pegged at approximately P1.12 million.
This is the second fire that hit Brgy. Sta. Cruz in a span of three days.
The previous one, located at Arlington Pond, occurred last Tuesday, August 31, and claimed the lives of seven people – including a mother and her three children. /rcg
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