Fire leaves 135 families homeless
At least 135 families or 591 individuals lost homes to a fire that hit neighboring barangays in Cebu City last Friday night.
At least 100 houses were razed in Sitio Kauswagan in Barangay Basak Pardo and Sitio Sto. Niño in Barangay Kinasangan Pardo.
Lea Japson, head of Cebu City’s Department of Social Welfare and Services, said the families were made to stay temporarily at the Villa Zacate Gym and Barangay Kinasang-an gym and will be given packed meals until Monday.
Mayor Tomas Osmeña said the city will give the survivors P20,000 cash and housing materials to help them start rebuilding their homes.
Japson said the housing materials will include 10 pieces each of plywood and galvanized iron.
Each family will also receive disaster kits worth P2,000.
Senior Fire Officer 2 Anedith Trasforte said they received the alarm at 9:57 p.m.
Initial investigation led by Senior Fire Officer Leo Pastrana traced the start of the fire to the house owned by one Elviza Flores. It was placed under control at 11:47 p.m.
The cause is yet to be determined. Damaged was pegged at P1 million.
Meriam Fernandez-Escober, head of the city's Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor, said that if necessary, DWUP will recommend a reblocking of the area to put access roads in place that can be used during emergencies.
Nagiel Bañacia, head of the Cebu City Risk Reduction and Management Council, already recommended a reblocking after firefighters had a difficult time penetrating the area owing to narrow interior roads. — /
JMO