Firefighters try to save some houses from the fire that struck barangay Nangka in Consolacion town yesterday. (CDN PHOTO/NORMAN V. MENDOZA)
A noonday fire yesterday destroyed 17 houses and displaced 30 families or at least 150 individuals in barangay Nangka, Consolacion town in northern Cebu.
Consolacion Fire Marshall Josephus Alburo estimated the damage at P200,000.
Alburo said they were still looking into the cause of the fire.
Arson investigators were verifying allegations that the fire was caused by butane canister explosion in Bernadette Maglasang’s two-story house.
Maglasang denied this and insisted that she was certain the butane canister she used had no leaks.
Barangay officials declared the barangay under a state of calamity to gain access to calamity funds and assistance from the municipal government for the fire victims.
The fire victims are temporarily staying at the barangay hall and day care center.
The fire alarm was reported at 11:37 a.m. and was put under control nearly an hour later. No one was hurt.