A fire destroyed 18 houses and damaged three in Purok Interior, Barangay 18, Bacolod City, Saturday morning, April 14.
The fire that started at 8:51 a.m. and was declared out at 10:14 a.m. caused an estimated damage of P3 million, the Bacolod City Fire Station said.
The fire started from the second floor of the house of Merlinda Encarnacion and its cause is believed to be electrical in nature, Fire Officer 2 Rolin Paulan said.
The fire displaced 50 families with 148 members, City Social Welfare Officer Alma Gustilo said, because there were sharers and renters in some of the houses.
Some of fire victims are staying at a chapel in Barangay 18 while others have found houses to stay at, she said.
The city government has provided food and non-food assistance to the fire victims, Gustilo said.
The city government also provided a water tank to ensure that the fire victims have water supply and portalets, she said.
Meanwhile, a senior citizen died and four houses were destroyed in a fire that hit Hacienda Garazon, Brgy. San Jose, Binalbagan, in Negros Occidental, 10:34 p.m. Saturday, FO2 Joseph Salarda, Binalbagan Fire Station investigation and intelligence chief, said on Sunday.
Salome del Prado, 76, who was alone and trapped in her house died in the fire, he said.*