A MORE than two-hour fire razed 37 houses and partially damaged five others in a coastal village west of Zamboanga City, authorities said Monday, April 1, 2024.
Superintendent Christopher Morales, Zamboanga City Fire District (ZCFD) marshal, said the fire happened in the evening of Sunday, March 31, in Purok 4, Labuan village, 36 kilometers west of Zamboanga City.
Morales said the fire started at the residence of Elinora Mahari, Labuan village councilor, around 8:21 p.m. and rapidly spread to the nearby houses, mostly made of light materials.
Morales said the fire, which reached third alarm, was placed under control around 9:48 p.m. and was declared fire out around 11:03 p.m.
He said the estimated worth of property damaged is more or less P350,000 and the cause of the fire is still to be established.
The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) said that 42 families with 170 individuals were displaced by the fire incident.
The CSWDO said that 37 of the 42 affected families were house owners, while the remaining five were house renters.
The CSWDO said the affected families were housed at the covered court of Labuan village.
Relief goods that include hot meals, water, food packs, kitchen utensils and hygiene and sleeping kits to name a few, the CSWDO said. (SunStar Zamboanga)