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Wednesday, November 10, 2004
2 trapped, killed in burning house
By Mia E. Abellana
CEBU CITY -- Two persons were killed after they were trapped inside a burning house Tuesday dawn, while firefighters struggled in narrow alleys to reach the wind-fanned flames.
Oscar Preagido, 52, died trying to save his mother-in-law's sister Salud Paragele, 70.
Peragele was disabled since birth.
Preagido had already run out of the house in the interior portion of Don Pedro Cui Ext. and Junquera St., Cebu City, when he remembered that Paragele was still inside.
Ignoring warnings and pleas of his family and neighbors, Preagido rushed back inside the house and was trapped there with Paragele.
Their charred bodies were found buried beneath a pile of debris in the living room two hours later.
Property damage
Preagido's daughter told reporters her mother was rushed to the hospital.
She collapsed when told that her husband was missing.
Just last week, three factory workers died in their sleep after a fire hit the shop where they worked in Barangay Inayawan at dawn.
Aside from Preagido's house, 17 other structures were burned Tuesday. Damage was pegged at P650,000.
Cebu City Fire Marshal Ismael Codilla said they would have controlled the fire quicker had there been access roads for their trucks.
Only alleys less than a meter wide separated the houses.
Codilla said they had to connect the fire hoses to get to the fire scene.
Some residents said it took too long for firefighters to respond.
Blocked
Aside from their troubles with the access road, Codilla said winds also fanned the flames.
Brothers Jojo and Ramil Verana told reporters they have been asking the businessman who owns a private lot at the back of their house to open the wall as an escape route in case of fire.
The lot serves as parking area and leads to Junquera St.
They said the owner did not budge.
"We understand that he does not want squatters building structures on his property. But all we ask is that a gate be opened so we can save our things during a fire. Like in this fire, we were not able to save anything," Ramil said.
The fire was controlled in 25 minutes, but firefighters stayed until 4 a.m. to make sure the flames were extinguished.
Starting point
Fire authorities were alerted at 12:45 a.m., and placed the blaze under a third alarm.
They received help from the Mandaue City Fire Department and volunteer fire brigades.
Official reports said the fire started on the second floor of Preagido's house. His daughter denied this.
"I think the investigators should ask the people who were nearby, not those from outside. The fire started in the boarding house beside ours," Preagido's daughter said in Cebuano.
Chief fire investigator Allan Arciaga said they will summon three witnesses who claimed the fire started on the second floor of Preagido's house.
The cause of the blaze is yet to be determined.
Training
Preagido owned Joma Shoemaker and Preagido's daughter believes that neighbors suspected their house was the origin because workers often worked late.
She insisted the fire originated in the next house owned by a certain Nancy.
Cebu City Councilor Gerardo Carillo said he will file a resolution declaring the affected area under a state of calamity and another resolution appropriating P10,000 as financial assistance for the families of each of the fatalities.
The Department of Social Welfare Services counted 201 persons affected and prepared food assistance for the victims good for two days.
They will also prepare construction materials, utensils and bedding for the families.
Carillo also saw the need for barangay officials to undergo training in firefighting.
(November 10, 2004 issue)
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