Guadalupe fire: Unattended cooking, electrical short circuit eyed as possible causes

Firefighters respond to a fire alarm along V. Rama Avenue in Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City on Thursday afternoon, February 29, 2024. | Screenshot from a video by Paul Lauro

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Fire investigators are considering unattended cooking and electrical short circuit as the possible causes of the fire that broke out in a roadside home in Brgy. Guadalupe, Cebu City on Thursday.

Senior Fire Officer 2 (SFO2) Wendell Villanueva, the public information officer of the Cebu City Fire Station (CCFS), said they continue to investigate the Guadalupe fire incident to determine its actual cause.

The fire incident was reported at around 2:49 p.m. on Thursday at the house of Cornelio Gala.

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The first alarm fire was placed under control at 3:07 p.m. after it burned Gala’s home and partially damaged two nearby structures. It left a total of eight individuals homeless.

Damage caused by the Guadalupe fire was pegged at P300, 000.

ALSO READ: Guadalupe fire: P1.8 worth of properties lost; 50 individuals left homeless

Guadalupe fire

Villanueva said that when the fire broke out, Cornelio’s wife, Pablita, refused to come out of their house.  Responders had to rescued her and force her out of their burning home in Brgy. Guadalupe. 

“We were able to let them out from the house. Hindi pwedeng mapakiusapan, [pero] talagang pipilitin natin na palabasin sa bahay,” he said.

Villanueva said that they already talked to Pablita to ask her why she refused to vacate their house despite the fire.

“We have already talked with the concerned individual. Hiningan siya ng statement. As to the details of the statement, I cannot divulge yet sa ngayon,” he said.

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In an earlier interview with CDN Digital, Pablita shared her suspicions that the Guadalupe fire was intentional.

She claimed that she smelled gas as if it was sprayed on their house, when she opened their windows to breathe fresh air.

But she could not say who could have started the fire.

Pablita added that it took some time for her to leave their house because she had a hard time opening the door that was blocked by a chain.