A FIRE hit Barangay Kasing-Kasing, Molo, Iloilo City at about 5:27 a.m. Thursday, April 23, 2026, affecting 23 houses and displacing 93 individuals, the Iloilo City Emergency Operations Center (ICEOC) said.
In its situation report as of 8 a.m. Thursday, the ICEOC reported that the fire incident involved 11 residential houses and that the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) - Iloilo City Fire Station confirmed that no casualty was recorded.
Initial reports showed that 17 houses were totally damaged while six were partially damaged, affecting 23 families or 93 individuals. The displaced residents were temporarily housed at Baluarte Elementary School, which was activated as an evacuation center by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO).
Firefighters declared a second alarm at 5:36 a.m. as the blaze intensified. The fire was placed under control at 6:10 a.m. and was fully extinguished at 6:40 a.m., based on data from the BFP.
Responding units included the Bureau of Fire Protection - Iloilo City Fire Station, Iloilo City Emergency Response Emergency Medical Services (ICER-EMS), Iloilo City Police Office (Icpo), Iloilo City Action Group (Icag), Federation of Fire Volunteers (FedFire), and More Electric and Power Corporation (More Power).
Authorities said the EOC disseminated updates to the Iloilo City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC), response clusters, media, and the public while maintaining coordination with Barangay officials and the CSWDO.
The Search, Rescue, and Retrieval Cluster led firefighting operations, deploying fire engines and ambulance teams, while volunteer groups augmented the response. The Health and Sanitation Cluster deployed medical teams, and the Law and Order Cluster of the Icpo dispatched personnel and mobile patrols for crowd control and security.
Meanwhile, More Power isolated portions of the secondary power line in the area to ensure the safety of responders and residents and provided aerial monitoring through drone operations.
Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the fire while assistance for affected families is being coordinated. (Leo Solinap/SunStar Philippines)