At least 70 families were left homeless in a fire which hit a Muslim community in purok Gemelina in barangay Poblacion in Lapu-Lapu City yesterday morning.
The fire, which damaged P250,000 worth of properties, was believed to have been caused by a leaking butane canister.
There was no fire hydrant in the community, said SFO1 Climaco Salisid, chief investigator of the Lapu-Lapu City Fire Central Department.
The fire started at the residence of a a certain “Sarah” whom neighbors said was preparing lunch on a portable stove.
Flames quickly spread to nearby houses made of light materials.
Barely an hour after the Lapu-Lapu fire was put out, another alarm was raised, this time inside a shipyard at the Ouano Compound in barangay Looc in Mandaue City.
Workers were dismantling a container van when flames or sparks from a welding rod landed on some foam nearby.
The fire, reported at 11:20 a.m., was put out in 15 minutes.
In the Lapu-Lapu City fire, the congested village and narrow alleys made it difficult for fire fighters to immediately put out the flames, which was reported at 10:42 a.m.
The Monday morning fire damaged 29 structures, of which 23 were totally burned while six others were partially damaged.
Resident Jonan Quiloan said she saw the fire eat up Sarah’s two-story residence while other neighbors started to panic.
“I tried to save some of our belongings but the fire quickly spread,” she said in Cebuano.
Lapu-Lapu City fire victims including Quiloan took shelter in tents set up on a vacant lot beside the Poblacion chapel.
Barangay captain Allen Dimataga said fire victims need clothes, food, kitchen utensils and housing materials.
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