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

Bomb hoax hits Davao-Manila flight of Cebu Pacific

By Ronron
March 2, 2005

Cebu - A supposed explosive lechon (roasted pig) on board a Davao-Manila flight of Cebu Pacific Wednesday afternoon caused aviation authorities to raise an alarm and order an emergency landing of Flight 5J-964 at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

The lechon cargo of passenger Hernan Inso, according to a text message received by a cargo handler of Cebu Pacific-Davao a few minutes after the said flight took off from Davao International Airport at 1:50pm, was said to contain a bomb, said 7th Police Center for Aviation Security (PCAS) chief Supt. Arturo Evangelista.

Following standard procedures on bomb threats, aviation authorities immediately advised the Cebu Pacific aircraft to touch down at the international airport here, which happened at 2:25pm, for proper checking.

Evangelista told Manila Shimbun in a phone interview that all 78 passengers were then asked to disembark the plane with their hand-carry luggage, and were subsequently subjected to a physical check.

All cargo as well, especially the lechon of Inso, underwent the same procedure.

Evangelista said both Inso and his lechon cargo yielded negative in the respective checks.

Inso, 28, a seaman, told investigators he had no idea who initiated the hoax and what could the motive be, added Evangelista.

"We cleared Mr. Inso and we apologized to him for the hassle of being interrogated. But we explained to him and the rest of the passengers that it was necessary for everybody's safety," Evangelista said.

After the clearance, the said flight was then able to take off for Manila at 4:37pm and arrived about an hour later.

Authorities are now investigating the hoax, particularly by trying to trace the owner of the number that sent the bomb threat./DMS