Fire hits cities of Cebu and Mandaue on advent of Fire Prevention Month

By Ronron
March 3, 2005

Cebu – Just as fire authorities around the country launched March as the Fire Prevention Month which marks the advent of the summer season, two succeeding fire incidents happened in the neighboring cities of Mandaue and Cebu, this province, burning down some P2.65 million worth of properties.

In Mandaue City, an ignited pile of garbage at the backyard of Isidra Jabonario’s residence led to the torching down Wednesday afternoon of 187 residential houses spread in Sitios Sampaguita-Lower and Sitio Tube Ice, both in Barangay Banilad.

The Mandaue City Fire Department (MCFD) received the said fire alarm at 3:25 pm but due to difficulty in penetrating the affected community because of its narrow pathways, it was only put under control an hour and twenty minutes later by responding firemen. Putting it out even took almost another five hours.

No casualty was reported in the incident that ate up P2.3 million worth of properties, mostly houses that are a mixture of concrete, semi-concrete and light structures, according to the MCFD.

As observed by Manila Shimbun at the site, the blaze was also heightened by the moderate afternoon winds, causing it to reach the general alarm status at 3:40 pm.

Fire Officer Roy Garcia of the MCFD said the flaming garbage at Jabonario’s backyard reached the latter’s residence because the rotten bamboo poles leaning on the wall of Jabonario’s kitchen were standing from the said pile of garbage.

The homeless families are now temporarily sheltered at the school buildings in Barangay Banilad. They were given relief goods and other forms of assistance by the city government and several non-government organizations.

The Cebu City fire incident, meanwhile, occurred at 7:15 am Thursday at a combined residential and commercial area in the uptown barangay of Apas.

No casualty was also reported in the said alarm that left an estimated damage cost of P350,000.

According to the Cebu City Fire Department (CCFD), the blaze gutted down six residential houses and four commercial establishments that are located along Wilson and Torralba streets.

A witness told fire investigators that she first saw a smoke coming from the abandoned residence of a certain Eleuterio Doños. She claimed the bamboo material-made house of Doños was then easily set ablaze.

CCFD personnel, however, were quick to respond, bringing right away the fire under control 17 minutes later, and putting it out at 8:35 am. The incident only reached a second alarm status.

It was the first fire alarm in the city of Cebu in this month’s Fire Prevention celebration./DMS