PHOTO BY ALLAN CUIZON
FIERY MONDAY MORNING: A fire that began at dawn yesterday destroyed a warehouse and 1 house, and damaged 2 other houses on Hernan Cortes St. in Tipolo, Mandaue City. What caused it?
At least P3 million worth of properties were lost after a fire broke out in Barangay Tipolo, Mandaue City yesterday dawn.
The Mandaue City Fire Staton (MCFS) said a warehouse and a house were destroyed while two other structures were damaged.
The MCFS got the alarm from P. Basubas St. at 4:53 a.m.
SFO3 Arnold Lao, chief for operations of MCFS, said the fire started at the rear part of the warehouse, managed by a certain Jennifer Pitogo.
Based on SFO1 Edgar Vergara’s investigation, a security guard saw a spark on the electric wiring of the warehouse.
The flames quickly spread to the nearby structures.
Lao said an electrical short circuit possibly caused the blaze based on the initial investigation, but they will give it a closer look.
He explained that the houses that were destroyed and damaged were used as offices of different businesses and not occupied by families.
Lao said that aside from the structures, two multicabs were also damaged.
Firefighters were able to control the fire 36 minutes after they arrived in the area.
Firemen put out the flames at 6:48 a.m.
No one was injured or killed during the incident.
The MCFS categorized the incident as a third alarm.
Among the agencies that assisted MCFS were Cebu City Fire Station, Bantay Mandaue, Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation, Chinese Fire Brigade, Cebu City Fire Brigade and San Carlos Fire Brigade.
Fire brigades from Barangays Tabok and Cubacub in Mandaue, and Barangays Mabolo, Hipodromo, Banilad in Cebu City also helped. /