20121017 Philippines Fire leaves 100 families homeless
Philippines Oct 17 2012 “Houses”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : 30 to 69 Injured : injured 0 or unknown
Fire leaves 100 families homeless
Updated: 2012-10-18-12:00
CEBU, Philippines – Close to 100 families were left homeless after fire razed 40 houses in two sitios in Barangay Day-as past noon yesterday.
The fire, which was reported at 12:51 pm, started at sitio Tender Heart and spread to the houses in sitio Moonpace, which were mostly made of light materials.
Cebu City Fire Marshal William Tacaldo, Jr. said the fire started at the house of one Ambrocia Empinado, 77, who allegedly left her cooking unattended.
Empinado, who was said to be mentally ill, was cooking food using firewood. She left and after while, the fire started, Tacaldo further said.
The fire was raised to general alarm sending all firemen and fire trucks in Cebu City and the neighboring cities to the area.
After 30 minutes, the fire was declared under controlled.
Tacaldo said the narrow access roads in the area gave them difficulty in putting out the fire.
There was no reported seriously hurt or killed except for one of resident who suffered minor burns.
Paramedics of the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation took the victim to a hospital for treatment.
May Mansueto, 33, said she was attending to her two children, aged 1 and 3, when she saw the fire in Empinado’s house.
She shouted to inform her neighbors but nobody listened.
“Misyagit ko, wala ma’y naminaw maong naniguro na lang ko ug gawas kuyog akong mga anak. Pagdagan namo sa gawas, didto na sad sila isi’g dagan,” Mansueto said.
Mansueto’s husband was not around as he was at work so she had to save her kids and their belongings alone.
The fire quickly spread to the other houses as these were mostly made of light materials. Some of the resident helped firemen put out the fire.
Others tried to salvage whatever they can.
One family was holding a vigil and they had to carry the casket of a dead loved one and transferred it to safer grounds.
The fire left close to 100 families homeless, including barangay councilor Nicky Dingal.
The victims are temporarily staying at the barangay gym.
Tacaldo said they are still conducting inventory of the properties gutted by the fire to determine the amount of damage.
Meanwhile, the two kids who were killed in an early morning fire last Tuesday in Barangay Catolohan in Dalaguete were laid to rest yesterday afternoon at the Mantolongon cemetery in Barangay Poblacion.
Fire investigators remain clueless on the cause of the fire that killed John Mark Jorolan, 3, and Jayden Sydney Indig, 4.
The kids were playing at the house of Anastacio Ansejo, Indig’s grandfather, when the fire broke out.
Ansejo went to his farm in Barangay Nug-as at around 8 a.m. leaving the kids behind.
Witnesses, Marlo Becbec and Harold Manos were among of those who tried to rescue the kids from the burning house.
Firemen failed to respond immediately for none called the fire station when the incident happened. It was around midday when the barangay captain informed them.
The charred remains of the victims were found near the room of the house covered with burned debris.
SFO2 Joldie Deposa, fire investigator, said they are conducting further investigation and are not discounting the claim of some witnesses that they often see the victims play with matchsticks and a lighter.
But Deposa said that during their initial investigation, there were no traces of matches and lighter in the scene. — (FREEMAN)
Websource: Philstar
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=860709&publicationSubCategoryId=107