Afternoon fire razes 50 houses in Quiot

An afternoon fire hit a residential area in Sitios Beltran and Upper Yati, Barangay Quiot, Cebu City, destroying at least 50 houses yesterday.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) 7 received the alarm at 5:28 p.m., and it was raised to a third alarm at 5:45 p.m.

“Our firefighters had trouble reaching the area because it was elevated. We connected our hoses so that we can directly hit the fire,” said Cebu City Fire Marshall Nelson Noel Ababon.

Rains suddenly fell for about five minutes, but it did little to douse the blaze.

The fire was declared under Task Force Alpha at 5:58 p.m., which meant that the Cebu City Fire Department has tapped the assistance of other fire stations in the nearby cities.

Ababon said that the fire was traced to a specific house, but SunStar is withholding the homeowner’s name pending verification.

Firefighters and fire volunteers connected 11 hoses to reach the fire scene.

A firefighter from Engine 23 of Barangay Pahina-Central identified as Fire Officer 1 Gallego sustained a laceration in his hand.

The fire was declared under controll at 6:57 p.m.

Damage to property was pegged at P500,000.

Ababon said that they are still investigating what caused the fire. /

SUNSTAR FOTO / AMPER CAMPAÑA FLAMES RAGED FOR LESS THAN AN HOUR. Residents of Sitio Beltran, Barangay Quiot in Cebu City watched hopelessly as their houses were destroyed by a fire that hit their area yesterday afternoon. The Cebu City Fire Department is still investigating the...