A fire that swiftly spread through a densely populated area destroyed 38 houses and damaged 2 in Purok Tangkong, Barangay 7, Bacolod City, on Saturday night, September 9.
The fire left 63 families with 201 members homeless, the Mayor’s Office reported.
Chief Inspector Stephen Jardeleza, Bacolod Fire Marshal, said the fire started from the house of Frederico Lumayno who was cooking his food on a butane stove.
Lumayno admitted that he forgot that he was cooking something and left to go to a wake of the dead, Jardeleza added.
He started cooking at past 7 p.m. and the BFP received the fire call at 9:48 p.m., Jardeleza said.
The houses in the squatter area were made of light materials and the fire spread swiftly, he said.
Firefighters had difficulty putting out the blaze because of the narrow pathway, he added.
The fire was put out at 11:15 p.m. on Saturday, he added.
Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, who was at the scene of the fire Saturday night, on Sunday also visited the fire victims who are temporarily housed at the Villamonte gym.
He assured the fire victims of the city government’s assistance.
Food, folding beds, sleeping and hygiene kits, modular tents and water have been provided to the evacuees at the Villamonte gym.
The mayor was accompanied by councilors Cindy Rojas, Celia Flor and Pao Sy during his visit to the fire victims on Sunday.*