20160101 Philippines 70 houses razed in Tacloban on New Year’s Eve
Philippines Jan 01 2016 “Houses”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : more than 70 Injured : injured 0 or unknown
70 houses razed in Tacloban on New Year’s Eve
Updated: 2016-01-01-15:57
A huge fire suspected to have been caused by the firecracker “kwitis” hit Tacloban City amid New Year revelry razing 70 houses and displacing 84 families.
In a report aired on GMA News TV Live on Friday, Fire Chief Inspector Charlie Gerzon, chief of the Tacloban City Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), said the fire hit Barangay 56 Pericohon, a densely populated village, past 12 midnight.
Gerzon said the fire reached the second alarm before it was completely put out around 3 a.m.
Gerzon said there was no casualty from the incident but some residents sustained minor injuries.
Based on the official tally of the Tacloban DSWD, a total of 70 houses were razed by the fire, displacing 84 families.
The displaced residents are now staying at the Redemptorist Social Hall, Gerzon said.
The estimated cost of damage was at P2 million, Gerzon added.
In another telephone interview, Brgy. 56 Pericohon chairman Caesar Advincula said the fire started on the second floor of the house of a resident identified as Salvacion Maurillo.
Advincula said the fire quickly spread to other houses as most of them were made of light materials.
Meanwhile, Gerzon said their investigation is now focused on a report from the residents that a kwitis that landed on the second floor of Murillo’s house was the cause of the fire.
Gerzon admitted that it may be hard to trace the origin of the kwitis but the BFP will do its best to find the culprit.
It was the third consecutive year that the area was hit by a fire. Several houses were also razed in the village on Election Day in 2013 and before the city fiesta in 2014.
Web Source: GMA NEWS ONLINE
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/549706/news/regions/70-houses-razed-in-tacloban-on-new-year-s-eve