A fire hit a residential area along P. Remedio Street in Barangay Banilad, Mandaue City, this morning, September 24. | Contributed photo via Paul Lauro
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A spark from a multicab that was being repaired started the fire that destroyed the multicab, a house, and damaged another house in P. Remedio Street, Barangay Banilad, Mandaue City late this morning, September 24, 2023.
SFO1 Filward Morales, investigator of the Mandaue City Fire Office, estimated the damage to property at P50,000.
READ: Lolo from Toledo Cebu loses money to fire, but netizens come to rescue
Mandaue fire damage
Morales said that initial investigation showed that the fire damaged the two-story house owned by Ulrico Cabahug, and another two-story house near Cabahug’s house.
“Sa gipaayo niya nga multicab didto nagsugod (ang sunog),” said Morales when asked what started the fire.
(It started at the repaired multicab.)
READ: Tejero fire: Arson suspected
Spark from multicab started Mandaue fire
Morales said that the owner of the destroyed house, Cabahug, told him that they were repairing the multicab when a spark from the multicab started the fire.
“Matud pa sa mekaniko nga nagmix kuno ang gasoline ug water. Mao to ilang gitangtang ang makina, unya gitry nila og start. Mao to nga gidakop ang gasolina ba pagstart,” said Morales.
(According to the mechanic, the gasoline and water had mixed. So they removed the engine, and then they tried to start it. That is when the spark ignited the gasoline of the multicab.)
He said that the spark from the battery of the multicab ignited the gasoline and starting the fire.
READ: Sibonga stage fire: Was it caused by a short circuit or was it intentionally started?
Fire extinguisher did not work
“Nitry sila og pawong. Gamitan nila og fire ex(tinguisher) unya karon ang fire ex(tinguisher) kay wa naman. Wa naman mogana ba. Mao to iya na lang gisecure ang iyahang bata,” Gonzales said.
(They tried to put out the fire. They used a fire ex(tinguisher) but now the fire ex(tinguisher) did not work. It did not work, So, what he (Cabahug) did was secure his child.)
He said that was how the fire got bigger.
READ: Civilian, fireman hurt in Malabon warehouse fire
When the fire was reported, put out
Cabahug said that the fire was reported at 10:54 a.m. It was raised to the first alarm at 10:59 a.m., and raised further to the second alarm at 11:09 a.m.
The firefighters declared it fire out at 11:16 a.m.
Gonzales also said that no one was hurt in Sunday’s late morning fire.