HUNDREDS of residents in Zone Talong, Barangay Paknaan in Mandaue City are calling for financial assistance after a massive fire tore through their community Sunday night, March 23, 2025, destroying at least 177 homes and leaving 244 families homeless.
The blaze, which broke out around 7:33 p.m., resulted in an estimated P3 million in damages.
While no casualties were reported from the fire itself, an accident involving a fire truck responding to the scene claimed the life of a motorcyclist.
Among those affected residents is Anthon John Navasilia, who lost everything in the fire.
Navasilia, a gasoline boy, said his first request is for the City Government to provide them with proper financial assistance so they can rebuild their homes, as well as supplies for their children and food to sustain them in the coming weeks.
His work uniform was among the many things reduced to ashes, leaving him uncertain about how he will return to work.
“This is the second time I have experienced such a devastating fire after the loss of our home in a fire in 2012. I never thought I would go through this again. We had just started to rebuild our lives, and now we have to start all over again,” Navasilia said.
Another fire victim, Merinda Abutay, also appealed for assistance, saying their home was completely razed.
“It’s not easy to start over from scratch in life. It’s not easy to look at the house you worked so hard to build, only for it to collapse because of something that wasn’t your fault,” Abutay said in Cebuano.
For her, the fire destroyed not only their house but also a lifetime of memories.
Her family has been living in Paknaan since 1960, and their home, built mostly of wood, was reduced to ashes within minutes.
“We didn’t even have time to save anything. All we could do was run. Everything we owned, our clothes, our appliances, even our important documents are all gone,” Abutay said.
Like many others, Abutay and her family are left with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
The fire victims are currently staying at the barangay gym, relying on relief aid from the Mandaue City Government and donations from private groups.
A report from Barangay Paknaan stated that 177 houses were destroyed, while one was damaged.
A total of 805 individuals were displaced.
According to Public Information Officer Karla Victoria Cortes, the affected land is city-owned and part of a government housing project. This means the City will handle rebuilding efforts.
“The City will provide P10,000 financial assistance to each homeowner,” Cortes said, adding that the funds will be distributed as soon as possible after the victims are profiled.
The City will also provide regular meals to displaced residents until they can recover.
The City Social Welfare and Services has distributed family kits, including mats, blankets, clothes and hygiene kits.
The Mandaue City Fire Station reported that the fire originated in a two-story single-family dwelling owned by Juliet Buscano and rented by Joseph Amistoso Pacaldo in Zone Sili and Zone Talong.
The flames quickly spread, consuming nearly 6,000 square meters of residential and commercial areas.
Firefighters responded within five minutes of the alarm being raised.
The blaze escalated through multiple alarms: first at 7:35 p.m., second at 7:44 p.m., third at 7:55 p.m. and fourth at 8:04 p.m.
It took firefighters until 9:27 p.m. to bring the fire under control before it was fully extinguished at 10:37 p.m.
A total of five fire trucks and 32 personnel were deployed to the scene.
The fire was believed to have been caused by faulty electrical wiring, according to FO1 Neil Ian Amancio, who is leading the investigation.
Fire responders faced challenges during the operation, including narrow streets that made access difficult.
Some agitated residents also disrupted their work, cutting water hoses in an attempt to prioritize their homes.
“We are grateful to the City Police who reprimanded the residents,” said Amancio.
While the fire itself caused no fatalities, Juan Paulo Mindo, a 23-year-old call center agent from Sitio Sunlot, Barangay Calawisan, Lapu-Lapu City, was killed when his motorcycle collided with a fire truck from the Cebu Filipino-Chinese Volunteers Fire Brigade at the A.C. Cortes and Plaridel Street intersection in Barangay Cambaro, Mandaue City.
He was rushed to the Mandaue City Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
Lt. Col. Mercy Villaro, spokesperson for the Mandaue City Police Office, confirmed that the fire truck ran a red light when it crossed the intersection.
The fire truck driver surrendered to authorities and may face charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide with damage to property, depending on the decision of the victim’s family.
Earlier Sunday, a fire broke out at the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) along Osmeña Blvd. in Barangay Kalubihan, Cebu City.
According to the Cebu City Fire Station, the incident resulted in P4.8 million in damages but did not cause any fatalities, although two DBP personnel were affected.
The fire, which covered an estimated 60 square meters, was reported at 5:22 p.m. and escalated to a second alarm by 5:33 p.m. Firefighters declared it fire out 11 minutes later.
Cebu City fire spokesman SFO2 Wendell Villanueva said investigators have yet to determine the cause of the fire.
With two fires occurring on the same day, authorities are reminding the public to be extra cautious, especially with electrical connections, to prevent further tragedies. (DPC)