LESS than a week after a fire razed six sitios in Barangay T. Padilla, two more fires hit Cebu City yesterday.
The first fire, tapped at 3:15 p.m., destroyed six houses in Sitio Maracas, Barangay Lahug. At least sixteen fire trucks rushed to the scene.
Firemen controlled the blaze after 11 minutes. The houses were along the road and it was not windy yesterday.
Fire Investigator SFO1 Nilo Daculan told Sun.Star Cebu most of the burned houses were made of light materials. Damage to property was estimated at P410,000.
Left homeless are Metodia Romarate Maratas, Sally Cabillan, Elena Codera, Marilou Gonzales and Bonifacio Gonzales.
Appliances
Maratas, 48, a seamstress, said she wasn’t able to save her clothes, important documents and appliances.
“Wa gyod koy nada, giseguro nako akong bata (I wasn’t able to save my things, I only made sure my child was safe),” she said.
Explosion
“I was about to go upstairs when I noticed the fire. I immediately grabbed my child. I was not able to save my sewing tools,” she said in Cebuano.
Daculan said witnesses heard an explosion from an electric post before the fire.
A college student corroborated Daculan’s statement.
“Poste maoy niunag buto dayon nikatay sa lubi hangtod niabot sa atop (There was an explosion from the electric post first. Then there was fire which spread to a coconut tree and to the roof of one house),” said the student.
Nipa, iron sheets
That roof was made of nipa and iron sheets, said Daculan.
Lahug Barangay Captain Mary Ann de los Santos said the barangay will release housing materials to the victims tomorrow.
She said the victims are temporarily sheltered in a gym.
Alvin Santillana of Cebu City Disaster Coordinating Council (CCDCC) said they will provide food to the victims.
Four hours earlier, a fire damaged a house in Barangay Punta Princesa. The fire was reportedly caused by a cassette player that overheated.
Daculan said the fire started in the room of Lorenzo Rabe, 80, on the second floor of the three-story house. He blamed the fire on electrical misuse.
When Roselo, Lorenzo’s son, smelled smoke, he went upstairs to see the flames already consuming the bed.
Daculan remind the residents to always check the wiring in their houses.