THE fire that struck Sitio Ipil, Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City at dawn Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019, razed 25 houses and damaged four.

Some 30 families were affected by the incident.

According to Cebu City Fire Marshal Asraf Grar, the fire started in the house of Junmark Gonzaga around 1:45 a.m.

The fire was raised to third alarm since the flames quickly spread to neighboring houses.

Authorities placed damage estimates at P139,000.

Grar said they’ve yet to determine the cause of the fire.

Dave Villamor, a volunteer, was helping firefighters douse the flames when he was informed that his house was on fire. He quickly ran home only to be greeted by the sight of his house engulfed in flames.

Villamor said he always felt sorry for fire survivors who lost their worldly possessions in the blink of an eye. Now he and his family know how it feels, he said.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) 7 had urged the public to unplug electrical devices at home before they head to the cemeteries for All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days on Nov. 1 and 2.

The BFP 7 has been on heightened alert since Wednesday, Oct. 30, and will remain so until the end of the holiday. FROM BBT OF SUPERBALITA CEBU / PJB