Tabunok fire razes 51 houses, displaces 260 individuals

A late night fire on Oct. 31, in Mananga 1, Purok Florentino, Barangay Tabunok, Talisay City destroys several houses and displaces at least 200 persons. | Paul Lauro

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A two-hour fire razed 51 houses and displaced 57 families made up of 260 individuals in the late evening of Oct. 31, in Mananga 1, Purok Florentino, Barangay Tabunok, Talisay City.

FO2 Mar Dee Auxtero, fire investigator of the Talisay City Fire Station, estimated the damage to property at P191,250.

Auxtero said the displaced families were temporarily staying at the Covered Court of Barangay Tabunok.

He said the fire started at the house of a certain Johnrey Borlasa and spread rapidly among the houses there which were mostly made of light materials.

He also said that no one was injured during the fire and that they were investigating the cause of the fire.

Auxtero said the fire was reported at 8:52 p.m. of Oct. 31, and it was immediately raised to the first alarm.

According to the Bureau of Fire Protection in an inquirer.net report that this meant that at least two fire trucks would be dispatched to the fire scene.

Firefighters responding to a fire in Mananga 1, Purok Florentino in Brgy. Tabunok, Talisay City on a Halloween, October 31, 2022 | via Paul Lauro

Auxtero said that at 9:09 p.m., they raised the fire to the second alarm, which meant that at least four more fire trucks would be dispatched to battle the fire.

And 15 minutes later or at 9:24 p.m., it was further raised to the 3rd alarm, which meant that more firetrucks were dispatched to help put out the fire.

When the second alarm was raised, firefighters from Cebu City Fire Office, Cebu-Filipino Chinese Volunteers Fire Brigade, and fire volunteers from Barangay Bulacao, Cebu City, arrived at the fire scene.

Another hour later, Auxtero said at 10:22 p.m. the fire was then placed under control, and 28 minutes later, it was declared fire out.

A resident, Emily Dente, told CDN Digital at the fire scene last night that she only saved a few of her belongings that she placed in her bag because the fire spread quickly.

“Padung ko uli gikan sa trabaho sa dihang dunay nisyagit sa mga silingan na sunog. Abi nakog komedya lang pero pagtan-aw nako duol na lang ang kayo sa among balay,” said Emily Dente, a resident of the area.

(I was on my way home from work when some of our neighbors shouted there’s a fire. I thought it was just a joke but when I saw the fire which was spreading near our home.)

READ: Halloween fire in Talisay City, Cebu displaces around 70 families