Fire investigators in Cebu City said the consider electrical mishap as a possible cause of fire affecting at least 14 houses in Sitio Lower Capaculan, Barangay Tisa, on Monday, June 5, 2022. | Paul Lauro
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Fire investigators believed that electrical mishap was the cause of the fire that destroyed P3.5 million worth of properties today, June 6, in Sitio Lower Capaculan, Barangay Tisa, Cebu City.
Fire Officer 3 (FO3) Emerson Arceo, fire investigator of the Cebu City Fire Office, said this was an electrical mishap because the fire started after electrical power in the area was restored after a brownout.
“Possible tungod sa kuryente kay according sa mga tawo didto, adtong panahona, before ang sunog ni brown out daw na kadiyot unya pagbalik didto na nagsugod ang sunog. Kanang balaya medyo dugay-dugay na sad na, mga 20 kapin anyos na,” Arceo said.
(It is possible that this was caused by electricity [or an electrical mishap] because according to the people there, at that time, before the fire, there was a short brownout, and when power was restored that was when the fire started. That house was built for quite a while now, at least 20 years already.)
Arceo estimated the damage to property at P3.5 million with the fire razing 10 houses and gutting 4 others.
Arceo said there were at least 40 individuals affected by the fire.
However, he said that the count would possibly increase because the listing of fire victims were still being done.
According to the Cebu City Fire Office in its report, that they received the call about the fire at 6:31 a.m. They responded and the fire was raised to the second alarm at 6:51 a.m. It was declared fire out at 7:33 a.m.
Arceo said that it took them at least an hour before they officially put out this residential fire.
One of the residents in the area, Ronerick Suarez was reportedly injured as he sustained a wound on his right knee during the fire.
“Nalangay tungod sa lugar, lisod sudlan kay naa jod sa sulod, inner gyud ba,” he added.
(It took us a while to reach the area because it was difficult to enter because it was in the inner portion.)
Arceo said that initial investigation showed that the fire started from Jasmine Lodonia’s two-story house.
“Allegedly namahaw man daw na sila, unya pagpamahaw nila nag brownout og pipila ka mga segundos unya pagbalik sa kuryente, naglagubo na sa taas. Pag check ny, nag dako na ang kayo sa kwarto sa iyang anak,” he added.
(They were allegedly having breakfast when a brownout occurred, and a few seconds when the power returned, they hear a loud bang at the second floor of the house. When they checked what it was, they saw a big fire in the room of their child.)
With this incident, Arceo reminds the public to always have their electrical connections be checked by professionals at least every five years to avoid a similar incident from happening.
RELATED STORIES
BFP-7: Fire incidents in Central Visayas up by 21%
P52.2M lost in Danao City Public Market fire
BFP 7: Be preventive against fire
BBQ store in Busay catches fire
P2.7 million lost in Punta Princesa fire
Police, fire investigators puzzled over minor’s death in Asturias fire
Mandaue fires damage P800,000 worth of property
/dbs