CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — At least three families were left homeless in a second-alarm fire with an estimated structural damage valued at PHP 200,000 in Purok Pinya, Barangay Pitalo, San Fernando town, Cebu yesterday afternoon, April 11.
According to the San Fernando Bureau of Fire Protection, the blaze reportedly started around 1:59 p.m. and was immediately raised its first alarm by 2:07 p.m. and second alarm at 2:24 p.m.
Firefighters then put the fire under control at 2:50 p.m. and was later fully extinguished around 3:31 p.m.
Fire Officer 1 Joey Leguidleguid, investigator of the San Fernando BFP, told The Freeman that in their initial investigation, two angles are currently considered as the possible cause of the fire, which are unattended cooking and electrical wiring.
He first revealed that a 10-year-old girl allegedly splashed water on the firewood after finishing cooking rice l in their dirty kitchen, causing the fire to immediately break out.
Secondly, he also shared that a resident reportedly saw an electric pole suddenly sparked, caused a fire, and quickly spread through the electrical wires, eventually burning the plywood wall of the house.
However, Leguidleguid stressed that despite these reports from the residents, the exact cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed as the investigation is still ongoing.
Meanwhile, no casualties were reported from the incident.
| Written by Nicholas Jon Malaga
