Wednesday, September 01, 2004 Rat-eaten wire sets off fire; 81 houses destroyed By Aledel G. Cuizon Sun.Star Staff Reporter
AT LEAST 120 families lost their homes when fire struck a densely populated area in Barangay Subangda-ku, Mandaue City yesterday morning.
The fire was said to have been set off by the short-circuiting of wire gnawed by rats in one of the houses, ABS-CBN reported.
Strong winds, the lack of access roads and the light materials that the houses were made of contributed to the difficulty in putting out the fire.
Initial investigation, though, showed the fire could have also been caused by electrical misuse.
SFO4 Jose Laurito of the Mandaue City Fire Department estimated the damage to properties at P800,000.
The fire, which razed at least 81 houses, was contained in Sitio Fatima, Barangay Subang-daku. The area was surrounded by firewalls of Moonlight Motel, Matimco and Universal Lumber.
None hurt
No casualties or injuries were reported in the fire that was tapped at 8:07 a.m. It was placed under control 47 minutes later.
Firefighters from Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Consolacion, Cebu Filipino Chinese Volunteer Fire Brigade, Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation and the Accident Control and Emergency Rescue Team also rushed to the area.
Fire victims were immediately provided with tents and are now staying on vacant lots nearby.
Laurito said the fire, which started at the house of Evelyn Palmares, nearly hit nearby Sitio Fatima.
According to Laurito, electrical misuse caused the fire.
Based on the fire department’s investigation, Palmares and her family were eating downstairs when she noticed that the light from the fluorescent bulb was fluctuating.
She then checked the second floor, where the improvised electric fan was, and saw flames.
Difficulties
Palmares would have shut down the main fuse but it was too late. The flames spread to the other houses that were also made of light materials.
Laurito said firefight-ers had difficulty putting out the fire because the houses were far from the road.
Hoses had to be connected from end to end, thus slowing down the water pressure. Other firemen also had to train their hoses from the roof of nearby Moonlight Motel.
Firemen also had to wade in waist-deep water to get to the flaming houses because the only passageways to the area were makeshift bridges.
Laurito also received reports that looters preyed on the belongings of fire victims.
Subangdaku Barangay Captain Walter Dy said the water in the area has become stagnant because of the lack of proper drainage. Houses being built on canals also added to the problem.
Dy said he had warned the families about the hazards of staying there but they still refused to leave.
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