Sibonga stage fire: Was it caused by a short circuit or was it intentionally started?

Fire Investigator says allegations of arson have yet to be verified; fire destroyed stage, sound system

A fire destroyed this stage owned by the barangay in Barangay Manatad, Sibonga town, in southern Cebu on September 9. Investigators continue to look for the cause of the fire. | Contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Was the fire that destroyed the barangay’s stage and rented sound system in Barangay Manatad, Sibonga town on the early morning of September 9 intentionally started or was it just caused by an electrical short circuit?

This will be known on Monday, September 11, when the results of the specimen gathered by the fire investigator of the Sibonga Fire Station will be released by the laboratory.

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Specimen gathered in Sibonga stage fire sent to lab

“Gipa-laboratory pa namo amoang mga specimen (gikan sa fire scene). Kuhaon pa namo karong Lunes (Septembre 11),” said Senior Fire Officer 1 Japheth Alegrado, Sibonga Fire Station fire investigator, in an interview with CDN Digital on Sunday morning, September 10.

(We brought our specimen to the fire to the laboratory and we will get the results by Monday (September 11).)

Alegrado said that they were still trying to find out the the cause of the fire.

He said that they were verifying allegations that the fire was a case of arson, but, for now, they had no proof to support such claims.

He said that one step, perhaps, to getting an understanding on what caused the fire would be the results of the laboratory tests on the specimen gathered from the fire scene.

However, he said that, for now, he could not determine what really caused the fire that destroyed the stage owned by the barangay and the rented sound system placed inside it.

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Sibonga fire reported, responded to, put out

The fire was reported at around 1:20 a.m. on Saturday, and the firefighters from Sibonga Fire Station arrived at 1:40 a.m.

It took them some time to reach the scene because it was located in the rural area.

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Fire out at 2:15 a.m.

Moreover, Alegrado said that they did not encounter any difficulties in putting off the fire.

“Padung nasad ugdaw (when the fire fighters arrived),” he said in a phone interview on Sunday, September 10.

Fortunately, the day care center, which was located beside the stage, was not affected.

“Mga within three minutes under control naman dayon,” he said.

It was declared fire out at 2:15 a.m.

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Fire destroys P27,000 barangay stage

Furthermore, Alegrado said they had not seen any extension wires plugged in the stage’s outlets when they got there.

He believed it could have been put away by the residents.

He also estimated the damage to property to at least P27,000, but this only covered the affected area — 18 square meters.

Alegrado said that the estimate for the destroyed sound system would come from the owners of the equipment.

He said that had not yet been given the estimate to the destroyed equipment by the owners.

The owners of the sound system were Danny Arong, resident of Barangay Lamacan, and George Laroa, resident of Barangay Manatad.

The sound system was sent there last September 4 for the upcoming fiesta in the barangay.

Meanwhile, the fire investigator clarified that the stage was owned by Barangay Manatad since it was a public establishment.