AN EARLY morning fire killed a woman in Barangay Poblacion, Lapu-Lapu City yesterday morning.
Fire investigators identified the fatality as Avelina Tesoro, 49, who was trapped inside her room.
The fire razed seven houses, three commercial buildings and a newly constructed mosque on Lopez Jaena corner Ompad St.
The cost of damage was pegged at P750,000.
FO3 Climaco Salisid said the fire started in the room of the victim, who was using a kerosene lamp.
Fire investigators said the lamp may have fallen over while the victim was sleeping.
Neighbors said they heard the victim shout for help but attempts to rescue her failed.
Third alarm
The fire department of Lapu-Lapu City received the fire alarm at 3:45 a.m. and controlled it in nine minutes. The fire, which burned three stores selling secondhand clothes, was raised to third alarm.
The victim reportedly suffered from a mental problem because of a previous nervous breakdown. She lived alone in a single room.
She had four children living in Barangay Gun-ob and another one living with her husband in Negros.
In Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City, two firefighters were injured during a fire that razed a house on Cabahar St. corner V. Rama Ave.
SFO2 Wilfredo Ochia was hit in the head, while FO2 Nestor Gualisa cut his right toe.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) 7 received the alarm at 11:28 p.m. and controlled the fire at 11:46 p.m.
The fire was raised to third alarm and damage was placed at P100,000.
The house, which was owned by the dela Cuesta family, was made of light materials.
Cause
Fire investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the blaze, but they believe it may have been electrical misuse.
Fire investigator Lowel Opolenticima said they did not encounter any difficulty getting to the scene as the house is near the main road.
However, he said there was nothing left of the house when they arrived.
He said neighbors may not have called the fire department immediately.
Arnel Villagracia, a resident in the area, said one of the neighbors told him he saw smoke coming out of the dela Cuesta house.
When he went to check, Villagracia said, flames had covered the house, prompting him to yell and alert the neighbors.
Opolenticima said the house had four occupants, one of whom was identified as Lourdes Alesna. They escaped unscathed.
The fire investigator said they have yet to determine which part of the house the fire started.
Opolenticima said they still have to talk with its occupants.