FIRES hit the cities of Talisay, Cebu, Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue on Sept. 23-24, 2019, destroying P1.9 million worth of property.

No one was hurt during these incidents that happened in a span of 19 hours.

A house that was converted into an illegal butane refilling station caught fire in Sitio Dauis-Kimba, Barangay San Roque, Talisay City past 12 p.m. Tuesday.

A series of explosions was heard in the sitio as several canisters and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanks flew outside the establishment during the blaze, which also destroyed three vehicles.

Employees rushed outside for their safety, according to resident Alfredo Caballes.

“I rushed outside my house as I thought there was a shootout and a bomb just exploded... The canisters exploded first, then the big LPG tanks followed,” Caballes said in a mix of Cebuano and Tagalog.

The blaze failed to reach other houses that were about 50 meters from the refilling station, which, according to Talisay City Fire Marshal Arra Alpajaro, was owned by Chona Mercado. Mercado, who reportedly rented the house in late 2018, has no clearance from the Bureau of Fire Protection and the City to operate such a business.

Some residents thought that Mercado ran a tailoring shop, but they later saw LPG tanks and canisters in the compound.

“They have been operating for quite some time already. They conduct deliver and refill. They operate day and night,” Leonila Suarez said in Cebuano.

Mercado’s refilling station reportedly charged customers P16 per refill, while others charged P25.

Last July, a house in a subdivision in Barangay Dumlog that was converted into an illegal refilling station also caught fire.

Three workers landed in the hospital. Mercado will face several charges after the investigation is over, said Alpajaro.

Past 8 a.m. on the same day, fire damaged a two-story house owned by Eleonor Berba in Sitio Cadulang, Barangay Marigondon, Lapu-Lapu City.

The fire reportedly started in the kitchen, and a faulty electrical connection may have caused it. Around this time also, a two-story house caught fire in Barangay San Nicolas, Cebu City.

A ceiling fan that was not unplugged may have caused the blaze. Past 5 p.m. Monday, a fire hit a warehouse in Sitio Tambis, Barangay Casuntingan, Mandaue City.

Fire investigators said the edifice may have been burned on purpose.

The other reasons that it caught fire could be that it had poor electrical connection or its employees neglected some devices inside the facility.

The damage to property was pegged at P1.2 million for the warehouse in Mandaue City, P720,000 for the illegal butane refilling station, P5,000 for the house in Cordova and P70,000 for the house in Cebu City. (From FMD, GCM, ANV, BBT of SuperBalita Cebu / KAL)