AT LEAST 89 houses were destroyed by fire in Purok Katilingban 1 and 2, Barangay 39, Bacolod City on Friday, February 27, 2026.
Records from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Bacolod showed that the fire started from a residential area at 11:06 a.m.
The blaze quickly spread to other houses made of light and concrete materials.
Several BFP fire trucks, including volunteer units, were dispatched to the scene but encountered difficulties accessing the area due to narrow passageways.
Firefighters had to pull and connect water hoses to reach the affected properties.
Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) records revealed that of the 89 houses affected, 80 were destroyed and nine were damaged, as of 1:15 p.m.
The fire was extinguished at 12:37 p.m. The BFP raised a fourth alarm status where the fire affected at least 204 families composed of 849 individuals.
Arson investigators are conducting further investigation to determine the cause of the fire.
The City Government, with assistance from the DSSD, provided food packs to the affected individuals temporarily staying at the barangay evacuation center.
Richelle Verdeprado-Mangga, DSSD head, said the validation of the total affected families is still ongoing. (MAP)