A MASSIVE fire tore through Barangay 21-C, Piapi Boulevard in Davao City on Thursday afternoon, October 2, 2025, displacing hundreds of families and damaging an estimated ₱1.79 million worth of property.
The Davao City Fire District reported that 179 house owners were affected as the blaze, which reached fourth alarm, swept across 7,160 square meters of residential area. Despite the scale of destruction, no casualties were reported.
According to the Bureau of Fire Protection–Davao Region (BFP-Davao), the fire spread rapidly through the densely packed coastal community, fueled by strong winds and homes made of light, combustible materials. Fire alarms escalated quickly: second alarm at 5:03 p.m., third at 5:20 p.m., and fourth at 5:31 p.m. The blaze was declared under control at 6:30 p.m. and fully extinguished by 7:27 p.m.
Barangay Captain Joenard Gabrillo confirmed the widespread damage. Investigators are still determining the cause, though initial reports point to the home of a resident, Mariafe Asari, as the possible origin.
Residents described desperate scenes as they fled the flames.
“Wala na mi’y nadala. Ang importante nakagawas mi nga buhi (We weren’t able to bring anything. What matters is we got out alive),” said "Aling Rosa," 52.
Another resident, “Jun,” 28, recalled the fire racing from behind their homes: “Nakita ra namo nga gikan sa likod ang kalayo, unya kusog kaayo ang hangin. Wala na gyud mi’y chance nga makuha pa ang among gamit (We just saw that the fire came from the back, and the wind was very strong. We really had no chance to save our belongings),” he said.
For “Nena,” a single mother of three, the loss was devastating: "Ang balay nga akong gitukod sulod sa pila ka tuig, nawala lang sa usa ka oras. Wala ko kabalo asa mi magsugod balik (The house I built over several years was gone in just an hour. I don’t know where we will start again)."
The City Social Development and Welfare Office, Vice Mayor’s Office, and 1st District Congressional Office delivered food, water, clothing, and other essentials even as firefighters battled the blaze.
Acting Vice Mayor Rigo Duterte assured residents of continued government support.
Barangay Councilor Harrish Ratag, in a media interview, said evacuees are temporarily staying at the barangay gym while assessment and listing of affected families continue.
The fire once again exposed Piapi’s long history of vulnerability to disasters. This coastal barangay has long been one of Davao City’s most fire-prone areas, with its tightly packed homes, narrow alleyways, and many makeshift structures.
On February 25, 2023, a massive fire swept through Purok 8 of Barangay 21-C and Barangay 22-C, wiping out more than 1,200 houses. Nearly 1,000 families, about 2,920 individuals, were displaced. The blaze, which started in the home of resident Ricky Gera Gantalao, caused an estimated ₱9 million in damage but, miraculously, claimed no lives.
Officials then pointed to the same problems seen again in this latest tragedy: houses built too close together with light materials, cramped roads that slowed firefighting response, and suspected illegal electrical connections.
Today, authorities and community leaders are once more pushing for stronger fire prevention measures, from stricter building code enforcement to regular safety inspections and even long-term relocation plans for high-risk residents.
As investigators work to confirm the cause of Thursday’s blaze, city officials are focusing on relief and recovery, determined to help hundreds of displaced families rebuild their lives from the ashes of yet another devastating fire in Piapi. DEF