A late evening fire destroyed four houses in Purok Happy Valley, Barangay West Poblacion of Naga City in southern Cebu. Photos show the aftermath of the fire that hit the area at past 10 p.m. on January 2. | Photo by Paul Lauro
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Authorities are reminding homeowners to regularly check whether the electrical wirings and appliances inside their houses are still safe to use in order to prevent fires.
This reminder came after four houses in Sitio Happy Valley, in Naga City, southern Cebu were totally destroyed while one was partially damaged due to a fire incident on Thursday evening, January 2, 2025.
The Naga City fire started at around 10:32 p.m. on Thursday when residents of Sitio Happy Valley were startled awake by people yelling about a fire that spread across houses in a matter of minutes.
RELATED STORIES:
Bogo City fire kills 1-year-old girl
Bogo City fire: Probe underway on blaze that killed a one-year-old
In Tabogon, ma tries to save son from burning home but both died
One resident told CDN Digital that she immediately picked up a pail of water after seeing her neighbor’s house in flames.
After some time, firefighters arrived in the area and declared an official fire out at around 10:58 p.m.
Four houses were totally damaged in the Naga City fire while one was partially burned. Fortunately, there were no records of injuries or fatalities.
As of this writing, authorities are still probing the origin, cause, and the total damages caused by the fire that razed the residential area.
One of the affected victims, 27-year-old Haryel Hipolito told CDN Digital in an interview that the Naga City fire began inside one of the rooms in their house.
Hipolito narrated that he went home, picked up a few items, and turned on a chargeable light inside the room so that it wouldn’t be too dark when his other companions returned home later that day.
READ:
Tondo fire leaves 5 kids dead
He then went to an internet shop, where he heard others yelling about a fire less than five minutes later. By the time he got back home, it was impossible for him to go back inside to retrieve some of their things as the flames were already too big.
Hipolito denied speculations from other residents that a butane stove caused the fire. He said that their butane stove was placed outside the room.
While the cause of the Naga City fire is still under investigation, firefighters are advising residents to conduct regular inspections of their own homes.
“Always jud check ang mga electrical wirings kay mao man gyud number one nato nga causes sa sunog diri sa Pilipinas. Ang mga electrical wirings, always gyud icheck nga dili ma-overload. And then kung nagluto, dili pasagdan ang kusina. Kung dili gani gamiton ang mga appliances, i-unplug dayon,” stated Fire Officer 1 (FO1) Ralph Escarda of the Naga City Fire Station.
In addition to this, here are more safety tips from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to prevent fires at home:
- Keep a fire extinguisher at home. Place it on areas where fires are likely to take place, such as the kitchen and garage. Take note of the TPASS method on how to properly use the extinguisher. TPASS stands for T- Twist; P- Pull the pin; A – Aim the nozzle; S – Squeeze the lever; and S – Sweep from side to side.
- Do not block the exits. Make sure that exit points are free of any blocking items that would make emergency evacuation difficult. Practice an exit drill at home.
- Keep flammable items like paper, clothes, and curtains at a safe distance away from heat sources such as stoves and heaters.
- Avoid smoking inside the house. Cigarettes are one of the common causes of fires as it can start a flame when it comes to contact with flammable items.
- Practice conducting routine checks of electrical systems and equipments before use. Take note that a hot wire is a sign of it being unsafe for use. It is important to have the proper knowledge on how to safely handle electrical devices.
- Take note of emergency contact numbers in case of emergencies. It is vital to know who to call when in need of help during emergency situations like fires.