THE fire that broke out around 1 p.m. on Monday, August 18, 2025, in San Isidro, Barpa, Barangay Leon Garcia, Agdao District, Davao City, quickly spread as the houses were made of light materials and built close to one another.
Classes at Leon Garcia Sr. National High School were disrupted as students ran toward their burning homes to help save their belongings.
Residents scrambled to salvage their possessions, including their pets, placing what they could temporarily along the national highway in R. Castillo.
For 37-year-old Analyn Rosas, it was heartbreaking as she failed to save any of her belongings, securing only her five-year-old child.
“Wala gyud mi nadala bisan usa ka butang. Tapot-lawas rami ug akong giseguro akong 5-anyos nga anak, bahala ng gamit makita pa na, pero ang kinabuhi sa tawo dili na (We weren’t able to bring anything to safety at all — just ourselves. I only made sure my five-year-old child was safe. The belongings can be replaced, but not a person’s life),” Analyn emotionally recounted.
Some residents said the blaze may have started from an unattended cooking fire, but authorities have yet to confirm the exact house where it began.
Because of the area’s congestion, firefighters struggled to get inside, extending the operation to almost three hours before the blaze was brought under control past 3 p.m.
The fire nearly reached the Leon Garcia Barangay Hall, which officials closely monitored to ensure the flames did not spread to the facility.
As of this report, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Davao City Fire District has not yet disclosed the official cause of the fire or the total amount of damages.
Reports confirmed that some individuals sustained minor injuries due to the rush, but no fatalities were recorded.
The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), through its “Kusina ng Bayan” program, immediately responded, distributing hot meals to the affected residents.
As of yesterday afternoon, partial counting estimated that around 50 houses were gutted, though social workers from the CSWDO have yet to release the official number as assessment of the victims is still ongoing. JPC
