Overheating ceiling fan blamed for Talisay City fire

A bed was badly damaged after a fire broke out in one of the rooms of a house in Brgy. Lawaan, Talisay City early on Saturday morning, March 15. | CDN Digital photo / Paul Lauro

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Ricky Gallardo, 46, woke up early on Saturday, March 15, for an early morning shower before heading for work.

While he bathed, he started to notice a sudden rise in temperature.  When he went out of the shower to check what was going on, he saw that his bedroom was on fire.

Luckily, personnel of the barangay fire brigade in Brgy. Lawaan, Talisay City were able to immediately put out the flame and prevent this from spreading to other parts of Gallardo’s house and nearby homes.

READ: Fire burns down 60 houses in Talisay City, Cebu

Gallardo’s neighbors also helped control the flame with the use of fire extinguishers.

Talisay City fire

The fire incident that was reported at around 7:30 a.m. on Saturday was blamed on the ceiling fan that Gallardo was using in his bedroom and which he failed to turn off when he went for his morning bath.

READ: Talisay Fire: Man saves neighbor’s children from burning house

Fire investigators said it was possible that the overheating ceiling fan fell on the bed causing it to burn.

Gallardo sustained minor burns on the right side of his body as he tried to put out the flame, but he still felt lucky that he was alive.

READ: Talisay fires: Swedish national dies, 3 fires hit city in 2 days

Fire Officer 2 (FO2) Mardee II Auxtero, investigator at Talisay City Fire Station, said that the fire was put out at 7:39 a.m. or nine minutes after it broke out.

Damages caused by the fire was pegged at P93, 750.

As of this writing, Talisay City investigators continue to look into the Saturday morning fire incident to determine its actual cause.