FAMILIES in Aurora Street, Poblacion, Mankayan, Benguet are appealing for help after their houses were turned into rubble when fire broke out Thursday evening, three days before Christmas Day.
Benguet Provincial Welfare and Development Officer Juana Bannawe reiterated fire victims need basic necessities to be able to return to their normal routines.
“Municipal Welfare Development Officer Lourdes Marcelino has forwarded information that these families need basic supplies, beddings, blankets, kitchen utensils and housing materials to recover,” Bannawe said.
Bannawe said the province has forwarded initial help to the victims.
“We have extended our primary assistance. We have provided 70 cavans of rice and 1400 canned goods and others,” the Benguet official said.
Bannawe added their office is now working on the completion of documents for the P10,000 financial assistance per family victimized by the blaze.
Help maybe given directly to the victims or through the MSWDO and the barangay officials who will then coordinate to the affected families.
Five people were injured while fourteen structures were razed to ashes during the incident.
Bureau of Fire Protection officers announced the fire was controlled at around 3 a.m. Friday.
Nine structures were fully burned and five were partially damaged by the fire.
Mayor Materno Luspian said victims are temporarily housed in a nearby church and at the municipal hall.
Authorities said clearing operation and assessment is still under investigation to determine the extent of the damages.
The fire allegedly originated from the Dumanas residence and immediately spread to the neighboring structures, which according to police, was highly-dense allowing the fire to raze 14 structures.
Fire-fighters from nearby Buguias, Benguet, Bauko and Tadian, Mountain Province, Cervantes, Ilocos Sur among others responded to help put out the fire.