An overheated ceiling fan was believed to have caused the fire that razed 50 houses and displaced 35 families or 154 persons in barangay Labogon in Mandaue City on Friday night.
The fire started at the second floor of the house owned by 68-year-old Melecio Ladraga.
He was staying in the ground floor while other family members were out of the house when flames broke out at 10:14 p.m.
Double-parked
Ladraga said he forgot to turn off the ceiling fan and that it was too late to do anything when he spot ted smoke from the second floor.
Firefighters had difficulty entering the sitio of Lapyahan because several vehicles were double-parked on the narrow roads.
Property damage was estimated at half a million pesos by Mandaue City fire investigator SF02 Cipriano Codilla Jr.
The fire site is a foreshore area owned by the government, according to Mandaue City Hall information officer Roger Paller.
Fe Banag, whose house is near the mangroves, said she and her family ran out after the fire ate the footbridge leading to the road.
Another resident, 11-year-old Chand Medina, gave his four-year-old sister, Cyril, a piggyback ride.
His mother saved important documents from their home.
His sister Ashley got out in time and his father, a tricycle driver, carried out 8-month-old Sophia.
“Nalubong gali ko sa lapok taga paa nag-alsa gihapon niya kay sunog naman (I gave her a piggyback ride. I got stuck in thigh-deep mud while carrying her when the fire broke out),” said Chand, a Grade 5 student of Labogon Elementary School.
He said he was thankful that their house wasn’t damaged. Neighbors threw mud all over it to shield it from the flames.
Chand said they have to clean up the place before they can go home.
Gaspar Lagrada, Melecio’s brother, said he ordered his grandchildren to get out of their house and forget about carrying their belongings.
Firefighters from Cebu City, Consolacion town and volunteer groups helped the Mandaue City Fire Department put out the fire which had spread to nearby houses made of light materials.
Timberland area
Violeta Cavada, chief of the Mandaue City Social Welfare Service (CSWS), said they are still conducting an inventory on the number of displaced families.
The barangay already extended food assistance to the victims who were housed in the barangay hall.
Labogon barangay chairman Renato Suson confirmed that Labogon was one of the few barangays identified as timberland area in Mandaue City.
Paller said they will check the city’s development plan and study if the victims need to be relocated.
Calamity area
He said they will also consider reblocking the site to allow the families to rebuild their homes.
Suson said the barangay will hold a special session to declare the site a calamity area in order to release calamity aid for families.
He said he was thankful that the fire didn’t reach the mangrove trees.
In Lapu-Lapu City, two houses were razed by fire at Purok Lato in barangay Kalawisan at 11:45 a.m. yesterday.
SFO1 Arnold Cavan said the fire originated at the house of Roberto Baguio and spread to the residence of his neighbor Armando Tampus.
The fire was caused by an electrical short circuit.
Damage was pegged at P80,000.
No one was injured.