A FIRE razed 25 houses in Sitio Riverside A, Brgy. Subangdaku, Mandaue City on Monday morning, Aug. 16, 2021.
Five people were hurt in the fire, but none of them suffered serious injuries, according to Chief Insp. Nelson Ababon, Mandaue City Fire Station chief.
Ababon said the fire started on the second story of the house of January Lumapas. He pegged the damage at P250,000.
Lumapas’ house was mostly made of wood.
Ababon said they still have to determine the cause of the blaze which happened at 8 a.m.
In an interview with Superbalita Cebu, Lumapas said she was about to do the laundry when the fire broke out. She was with her son.
Lumapas got startled when she heard her neighbors screaming, pointing to the flames in the room of her sister Annie on the second floor. Her sister was out of the house at the time.
Lumapas wondered why the room caught fire, saying the house had no electricity and they also did not use candles at night.
She admitted they cook meals on a portable butane gas stove, which was on the first floor. Before the fire, the stove was not in use.
Ababon said they encountered no problems in putting out the fire even if Lumapas’ home was situated in the interior of the sitio because they were allowed to pass through establishments.
The firefighters put out the fire at 9:07 a.m.
Families affected by the fire were brought to their temporary shelter at the Subangdaku Elementary School gym.
Subangdaku Barangay Captain Ernie Manatad said about 60 families were displaced because of the fire.
A mobile kitchen was dispatched to provide hot meals to affected families.
The affected residents will be provided with meals and relief goods for three days.
After the City Social Welfare and Services has verified the list of affected residents and renters, they will receive financial aid from the City Government—P10,000 for families whose houses were destroyed in the fire; P5,000 for families whose houses were damaged; P5,000 for families who rented houses or rooms; and P2,500 for unmarried individuals who rented a room or house. (KFD / KAL)