The fire at El Gusto Drive in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City on Saturday, April 1, razed 7 houses and damaged another one. | Screen grab from contributed video
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Some P6.8 million worth of properties were lost during the early evening fire that hit El Gusto Drive, Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City on Saturday, April 1.
FO3 Fulbert Navarro, investigator of the Cebu City Fire Office (CCFO), said that the fire razed seven houses and gutted a portion of another house.
It also displaced 15 families made up of 70 individuals.
Aside from that, Navarro said that a 24-year-old man, Fer Anthony Ong, was also injured during the fire.
Ong suffered first degree burns on his shoulder.
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The fire investigator said that they were still investigating the cause of the fire, and that they could not give a definite answer as to what caused it yet.
He, however, said that the fire started in a typical old house made up of wood and light materials.
Mabolo Fire reported, responded, put out
According to investigation, the fire was reported at 6:41 p.m. and was raised to the first alarm at 6:44 p.m., which meant that at least four to five firetrucks usually respond to put out the fire.
The CCFO, however, said that there were 36 firetrucks — 11 from the Bureau of Fire Protection and 25 from fire volunteer brigades — who responded and helped put out the fire.
The fire was placed under control at 7:19 p.m. and was declared fire out at 7:28 p.m.
Navarro pegged the damage to property at P6,885,000.
/dbs