MANDAUE CITY (UPDATED) -- Around 500 houses were razed by a fire that hit three sitios in Barangay Guizo and Mantuyong in Mandaue City, on Saturday dawn.

Senior Inspector Joel Abarcez, Mandaue City fire marshal, said they received the alarm at 1:45 a.m.

Initial investigation showed the houses in Sitio Sta. Cruz, La Purisima, and Asinan were made of light materials which prompted the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to raise the alarm to Task Force Alpha at 1:50 a.m., informing the nearby fire stations to respond to the area.




Abarcez said Task Force Charlie was raised around 2:50 a.m., alarming the fire stations from Naga City to Liloan, Cebu to respond to the site.


The city fire marshal admitted the fire trucks struggled to penetrate the area due to narrow roads, the firemen even have to connect the water hoses to reach the houses.

"Kinahanglan na natog re-blocking ani. Kung maka gain access gud ta sa atoang fire truck dali ra nato mapawong ang kalayo. (We need re-blocking in this area. If our fire trucks can gain access it would be easier to put the fire out)," Abarcez said.

Abarcez pegged the damage to property around P2.3 million.

The Philippine Red Cross said in its Twitter account that two residents suffered minor injuries and one was brought to the hospital. However Abarcez said no fatality was reported.

.@philredcross Cebu Chapter ambulance team catered 2 patients sustained minor injuries and transported 1 patient to Mandaue City Hospital.

— Philippine Red Cross (@philredcross) March 11, 2016

"Wala ta'y fatality, unlike sa previous diay bata nga casualty. (There are no fatalities this time unlike the previous incident where a child died)," Abarcez said.


Last January 29, 2016, fire razed residential areas in Sitio Sto. Niño, Barangay Guizo and Barangay Mantuyong where a 6-year-old child died.

As of this posting, the fire bureau is still conducting further investigation to find out the cause of the incident. (Sunnex)




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