The two row housing units that caught fire at Ernestine Homes in Barangay Babag, Lapu-Lapu City. (CDN PHOTO/Norman Medoza)
Two row housing units at Ernestine Homes in Barangay Babag, Lapu-Lapu City were gutted by the fire yesterday morning.
Leny Tugahan, one of the house helpers of Edgar Cañete, owner of the two burnt housing units, said they first heard an explosion at the back of the house, followed by the fire that spread quickly to the curtains.
Tugahan said about six of them immediately ran outside and asked help from the security personnel, who immediately shut off the main electric switch of the burnt units.
Tugahan said the fire might have been caused by an overheated exhaust fan. “Nag-brownout man gud anang pagka-ala una sa kaadlawon dayon nibalik ang kuryente mga alas otso na sa buntag. Pagkataud-taud nakadungog dayon ko’g buto (A brownout occurred at 1 a.m. and power was restored at 8 a.m. Later we heard an explosion),” she said.
SFO1 Hadjiludin Samonte, fire investigator of Lapu-Lapu City Fire Central District, said they immediately sent fire trucks to the area after receiving the alarm at 8:15 a.m.
The fire was totally put out at 9 a.m. with no reported injuries.
The damage of the fire was pegged at P678,000.