A MIDDAY fire gutted several commercial establishments in Barangay Smo. Rosario in Naval, Biliran on Thursday, April 9, 2026, prompting a massive response from local fire units.
The Naval Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) confirmed that the blaze involved a grocery store, a shopping mall and several other commercial units.
While the fire was reported at 12:02 p.m., the BFP officially declared the situation under control at 1:22 p.m., though firefighting operations continued until later that afternoon.
According to bystanders, the flames originated from an overheated generator at the HM Department Store. Arnel Payos, a 35-year-old resident, said the fire spread quickly because of flammable paint and dry goods stored in the neighboring shops.
"Earlier, we heard the HM department store’s explosion," Payos said in Bisaya. "The fire wasn’t put out quickly because it was in a tight-knit space that [the fire trucks] couldn't easily pass through."
Units from neighboring municipalities augmented the Naval BFP to prevent the fire from spreading further into the residential areas of Barangay Smo. Rosario.
The BFP officially declared a fire out at 2:42 p.m. Investigations are underway to determine the total cost of damage to the affected commercial hubs, with no casualties reported as of this posting. Cian Napalit