2 massive fires in Cebu City: More than 150 houses gutted

Nearly 100 houses were gutted after another massive fire struck a densely populated area in Cebu City on Saturday evening, January 6. Barely an hour after a big fire burned down 60 structures in Brgy. Carreta in the north, firefighters in Cebu City then had to respond to another fire in Brgy. Basak Pardo in the south. | Screenshot from BFP-Cebu City

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Two massive fires, including one that lasted for more than four hours, hit Cebu City on the sixth day of 2024, leaving dozens homeless and damaging close to P10 million in properties.

Both fires broke out in densely populated areas.

The first was in Brgy. Carreta where 60 houses were gutted.

At 9:23 p.m., firefighters in Cebu City responded to a fire in Sitio Kalapukan, Lower Carreta.

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First of 2 massive fires: Carreta

Firefighters raised it to third alarm, which means that at least 10 fire trucks are needed to contain the fire, at 9:49 a.m.

Fire engines from the neighboring cities of Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, and Talisay also helped in battling the fire that was finally put out by 10:58 a.m.

Estimated  cost of damage caused by the fire was pegged at P4.5 million, Fire Officer (FO) 3 Fulbert Navarro said.

But barely an hour after responding in Brgy. Carreta, firefighters in the city had to dash to another fire in Brgy. Basak Pardo in the south.

READ: Saturday night fire burns homes in Brgy Carreta, Cebu City

Second of 2 massive fires: Basak Pardo

In Brgy. Basak Pardo, an even bigger fire erupted in Sitio Kanipaan in Jansen Site at 11:33 p.m.

Similar to the one in Brgy. Carreta, they also raised it to third alarm.

Due to the density of the structures as well as the presence of light materials, it took firefighters approximately 4.5 hours to douse the flames.

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1 suffered burn injury in fire

They declared a fire out at 3:55 a.m. on Sunday dawn.

Senior Fire Officer (SFO) 1 Riza Julve, duty investigator from the Cebu City Fire Office, confirmed that a 21-year-old resident, identified as Crestel Mae Barrientos, suffered burn wounds on her forehead.

Barrientos was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment, Julve said.

ALSO READ: Two fires hit Metro Cebu in one day

90 houses razed

According to fire investigators, the fire burned down a total of 90 houses and damaged five others. The estimated cost of damage was pegged at P5.2 million.

The fire allegedly originated from a house owned by a certain Biano Nedia before it spread to nearby structures, initial investigations showed.

In the meantime, fire investigators continue to determine the cause of the two fires as of this writing.