1 UNATTENDED CANDLE WIPES OUT 100+ HOUSES
REMAINS OF FRIDAY. This is what is left of the neighborhood in sitios Kauswagan, St. Joseph and Sto. Niño in Barangay Basak Pardo, Cebu City after at least two hours of fire that was triggered by an unattended candle in one of the houses Friday night.
An abandoned candle reportedly caused the fire in three sitios in Barangay Basak Pardo, Cebu City last Friday night, destroying more than 100 houses.
Witnesses reported that the blaze started in the house owned by a certain Bebe Flores, a widower, according to the investigation by SFO1 Leo Pastrana and FO3 Peter Caburnay.
Flores allegedly used candles after the power supply in her house was cut off for failure to pay her bills.
Damage to the structures was pegged at P1 million.
The close to 1,000 fire survivors in Sitio Kauswagan Barangay Basak Pardo and Sitio Sto. Niño will be taking temporary shelter in the local barangay gyms while personnel of the Cebu City Government continue to assess the damage in the affected areas.
Department of Social Welfare Services head Lea Japson said they have already distributed meal packs yesterday to the fire survivors.
The City Government will give P20,000 cash aid to owners of destroyed houses, while those whose homes were damaged will be entitled to P10,000.
No one was injured during the incident, said SFO2 Anadith Trasporte in a phone interview.
The Cebu City Fire Station received the alarm at 9:57 p.m.
Firefighters controlled the flames from spreading to other neighborhood at 11:47 p.m.
At 4:12 a.m. yesterday, it was declared fire out, according to Trasporte.
The blaze started in Sitio Kauswagan.
It then spread to Sitios St. Joseph and Sto. Niño.
Flores and other witnesses were summoned yesterday for an inquiry.
Trasporte said firefighters from Talisay City, Mandaue City and some volunteers helped in putting out the fire.