Cebu City, Minglanilla fires destroy 37 houses

Two separate fire incidents in Cebu City and in Minglanilla, Cebu yesterday razed at least 37 houses and left P225,000 in property damage. Fire Chief Inspector Noel Ababon said the fire incident that reached to second alarm destroyed at least 10 houses in Barangay Tejero, Cebu City yesterday afternoon.

“Usa man gud ni sila ka balay nga duha ra ang gapuyo nya naa kuno'y na biyaan nga giluto,” Ababon added.

While it did not take more than 30 minutes to control the fire, it took the firefighters almost two hours to put the fire completely off.

“Ang interior portion kay gamay, piot kaayo ang lugar. Kung naa kay kasugat maglisod. Unya kung sunog, expected man gyud na nato naay mga dala nga butang,” Ababon said.

Fire investigator Senior Fire Officer 1 Romeo Birao said Barangay Ermita fire volunteer Kyle Cantiveros got injured in responding to the alarm.

A certain Roy Coronado, who got electrocuted during the incident, was rushed to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center. Birao said that Coronado is in a critical condition. The fire department pegged the damage at P100,000. Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Chief Nagiel Bañacia said that they will be setting up temporary tents in the area.

"Nag-set up pa og temporary tents kay it's very close to the fire incident… Then karon nagpaandam ko'g panihapon nila. Automatic, we will provide immediately food then we will look for a shelter and the barangay captain is already preparing for tents, temporary shelter and we will provide for toilets, water,” Bañacia told The FREEMAN.

Meanwhile, a morning fire in Barangay Linao, Lower Lipata, Minglanilla, Cebu levelled 27 houses.

Fire Officer 1 Fulbert Navarro said the damage to the fire that was raised to third alarm was P125,000.

They received the alarm at around 10:11 a.m. and was put off at around 10:45 a.m. In their initial report, a certain Jeffrey Sebua, 21, allegedly started the fire and surrendered himself to the Minglanilla Police Station during the incident.

"Gi-approach niya ang police officer unya eventually niadmit siya nga siyay ga-set sa fire" said FO1 Derek Cordova.

Sebua is currently detained at the Minglanilla Police Station while waiting for complaints and the investigation's results.

"Di pa mi kahatag sa exact cause kay ongoing pa ang investigation sa pagkakaron" said Navarro.