The number of houses destroyed in Bacolod City rose to 58, with another fire hitting Barangay 23 Tuesday afternoon, April 17.
A fire destroyed three houses and two were damaged in Purok Mahinangpanon, Barangay 23, at about 5 p.m. Tuesday, Barangay Captain Wenceslao Parlan said.
Chief Inspector Rodel Legaspi, Bacolod fire chief, said destroyed in the Barangay 23 fire were the two-storey wooden houses of Elsa Valera, Junalyn Libiogo and Carmen Morales initially estimated to cost P270,000.
The fire originated from the house of Valera situated at the center of the two other houses, he said.
They have only determined the point of origin of the fire, but are still investigating what caused it, Legaspi said.
Barangay Captain Rosinie Distrito said the fire that hit Purok Neptune in Barangay Singcang-Airport Monday afternoon destroyed 55 houses affecting 65 families and leaving 253 people homeless.
The majority of the Purok Neptune residents have sought temporary shelter in tents set up at the JR Torres Elementary School gym, Distrito said.
Strict health protocols are being enforced to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at the evacuation site, he said.
The tents were put up to provide families with protection, he said.
Legaspi said there were 47 houses destroyed and eight damaged at Purok Neptune that were initially estimated to cost P400,000.
The fire is believed to have been caused by a short circuit in an electrical installation at one of the houses in Purok Neptune, but further investigation is still underway, Legaspi said.
Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran visited the Purok Neptune fire victims at the J.R. Torres Elementary School to check on their situation Tuesday afternoon.
When the fire broke out Monday Leonardia immediately ordered the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office and the Department of Social Services and Development to attend to the needs of the affected families, such as providing them food packs, tents, hygiene kits, and other supplies, a press release from the Bacolod Public Information Office said.
The city government is also preparing financial assistance for the fire victims, it added.
Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya, who visited the fire victims earlier, also provided them with packed meals, rice and groceries.
Donations have also been arriving for the fire victims from the private sector, Distrito said.
Former Rep. Alfredo Benitez, who visited the fire victims at the JR Torres Elementary School Tuesday morning, gave P5,000 in assistance to each of the 65 affected families, Distrito said.
Negros Occidental Filipino–Chinese Amity Club executive vice chairman Roger Yap and corporate secretary Crispin Chua, and other Amity Fire Brigade members also distributed additional food packs to the affected families.*