15,000 displaced in 3 Sulu fires

ZAMBOANGA CITY — Former Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan yesterday plead to the national government and other concerned government agencies to help the fire victims that were displaced by a six-hour fire that hit two villages in Jolo and another in Indanan, all in Sulu province, Tuesday afternoon.

Tan said a fire of undetermined origin hit the villages of Port area and Busbus in Jolo and Lambayong in Indanan, Sulu at about 2 p.m., Tuesday, and lasted until 8 p.m. before firemen declared these fire incidents under control.

An estimated 3,000 houses, mostly made of light materials, were razed to ground, displacing about 15,000 individuals, report reaching this city said.

Tan said most of the victims are now staying with their relatives, while others are at the evacuation centers of the provincial and local government of Jolo and Indanan.

The former governor said limited food and other relief assistance are now being served to the fire victims by the provincial and the municipal governments.

Tan also appealed to the traders of Sulu, the national government and other concerned agencies to help and assist the victims.

“We need to help one another. It is for this reasons that I appeal to our traders in Sulu, the office of President Rodrigo Duterte and other concerned government agencies of government to help the fire victims,” Tan said.

He said that his own company, Island Petroleum Company, was already preparing is food and other relief goods for the fire victims.”

An initial report reaching this city indicated that a load explosion was heard before the fire started and rapidly spread, promptly razing about 3,000 houses.