No one was killed in the fire, although two children and a resident were hurt.
At press time, the Mandaue City Fire Department has yet to come up with an estimate on the damage to property and on the actual number of houses razed.
3 hurt
City Fire Marshal Oscar Mayol said 11-year-old Jolito Ybañez burn in his feet after he stepped on cinders while Leonardo Espanta’s face got burned. Nine-year-old Edna Luceño also sustained burns.
Mayol, in his report to Mayor Jonas Cortes, said the fire originated from the house of Marta Cartaginas and immediately spread to nearby houses made mostly of light and combustible materials.
Cartaginas’ three children were initially reported missing but were eventually located.
The fire prompted the Mandaue City Council to place the area under a state of calamity and allocate P200,000 for relief operations. The amount will cover food for a working team, building of a community kitchen, and tents for temporary shelter.
The fire victims are now staying at the Norkis Display Center in Barangay Looc, the Uniwide building and the Tipolo gymnasium.
The council also approved en masse the granting of P8,000 to each house owner and P3,000 for renters affected by the fire.
Mayor Cortes also ordered the City Social Welfare Services office to initially deliver ready-to-eat food to the fire victims.
Assistance
The Capitol and Cebu City Government have also extended assistance to the fire victims.
The Cebu Provincial Government sent 50 sacks of rice, 30 boxes of sardines, 30 boxes of noodles, 200 blankets and 200 mats as well as big cauldrons for cooking.
Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia also visited the fire scene to personally check on the situation.
Garcia said the Capitol will also be giving out financial assistance.
The Cebu City Government, on the other hand, will lend tents and portable toilets, and give dole-out materials and food assistance. City Hall will use a portion of its calamity fund to aid the Mandaue fire victims.
While on vacation in Macau, Mayor Tomas Osmeña told Councilor Gerardo Carillo to send personnel to the fire scene to give assistance.
Mars
“We already sent personnel from the Cebu City Disaster Coordinating Council to see what we can do. We also sent tents because we saw that the victims need temporary shelter,” he said.
The mayor learned about the fire after he was alerted through his Mobile Alarm Remote System (Mars)–registered cellular phone.
Osmeña is vacationing in Macau with his family to celebrate his 59th birthday today. (OCP/RHM/MBG)
