CEBU, PHILIPPINES — At least 247 families were left homeless after a massive fire razed a residential area in Sitio Silangan, Barangay Tejero, Cebu City on Saturday evening, May 16, causing more than P2 million in property damage.
The Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) said a total of 945 individuals were affected after 120 houses were destroyed while 14 others were partially damaged when the fire broke out at 6:58 p.m. Among those affected were 71 sharers, 40 renters, and 11 lodgers.
The Cebu City Fire Station estimated the damage at P2.25 million. Investigators said the fire reportedly started at the house owned by Edwin “Loloy” Gomela and occupied by Esterlita Gomela.
The blaze quickly escalated to a third alarm at 7:08 p.m. before it was declared under control at 8:19 p.m. Authorities reported no injuries or fatalities.
Displaced residents are temporarily sheltered at the Tejero Elementary School gymnasium, which has been designated as the evacuation center for affected families.
The DSWS said response operations were immediately conducted, including the registration of fire victims and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
The agency added that validation and verification of affected residents will continue to ensure proper documentation and assessment of assistance needed.
The Cebu City Government has begun distributing hot meals to evacuees, while the DSWS recommended that affected residents be endorsed for financial assistance through the city’s disaster fund.
Relief assistance, including food packs, rice, housing materials, and other basic necessities, has also been recommended for distribution.
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival personally visited the fire victims at their temporary shelter yesterday and assured them of the help from the city government.
In a separate interview, Barangay Tejero Captain Harold Seno said the latest blaze marked the third major fire incident recorded in the barangay since the start of 2026, highlighting the continuing vulnerability of densely populated communities in the area.
The first fire this year struck Sitio Riverside in Villagonzalo 1 on January 10. The third-alarm fire destroyed or damaged between 114 and 128 houses and displaced more than 200 families or around 700 to 824 individuals.
A second fire hit Sitio Sagrada on February 5, affecting several homes and displacing more than 50 individuals.
Seno described the affected sitios as heavily congested communities where houses made of light materials are built close together, allowing fires to spread rapidly.
“This year, ikatulo na nga sunog diri sa Tejero,” Seno said.
According to Seno, the latest fire affected 134 houses, while around 200 to 300 more homes in nearby areas narrowly escaped the blaze.
He stressed that Sitio Silangan remains densely populated, with several families often sharing cramped living spaces, increasing both fire risks and evacuation difficulties.
“Densely populated gyud kaayo ang area,” he said.
Seno reiterated his support for the construction of vertical housing projects similar to medium-rise buildings to permanently relocate informal settlers from high-risk fire-prone communities.
He said a government-owned property in the area had long been identified for possible housing development, but implementation had been delayed through several administrations.
“Nindot unta nga matukoran og vertical housing pareha sa MRV aron permanent solution,” he added.
Authorities have yet to determine the exact cause of the fire as the investigation continues.
However, some residents reportedly claimed they heard a disturbance involving a couple before the fire erupted.
“Ang among nadunggan nga istorya nga naa daw magtiayon nga nag-away unya kalit ra man daw naay nibuto. Unya matud pa sa mga silingan, wa na nila matabang ang kayo. Unya ang istorya sad kay basin daw gituyo og sunog,” Seno said, clarifying that these accounts remain unverified and are not official findings.
Meanwhile, a separate fire incident was reported at Gaisano Country Mall in Barangay Apas at around 8:10 p.m. Saturday.
The fire, which involved a restaurant inside the mall, was quickly contained. Damage was estimated at only P2,000, and no injuries were reported.
| Written by Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon, Caecent No-ot Magsumbol
