By RHENJIE MARIE CALANTAS and GLENDA TAYONA
ILOILO City – Fire gutted 26 houses in a coastal neighborhood of Zone 3, Barangay Calumpang, Molo district a few hours before Christmas, driving 37 families or 143 individuals to seek shelter at the village’s evacuation center or with relatives.
The blaze started around 2:15 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 24, according to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).
“Kasubo gid nga Paskwa para ka namon. Mga importante ko nga papeles, namon sang asawa ko kag sang mga bata naubos gid dala sa sunog,” said fire victim Robert Prandas.
Over 10 BFP fire trucks responded. Residents also helped one another put out the fire by getting water from the sea.
Prandas said he was shocked to come home seeing his house reduced to ashes. He was at work when the fire struck.
“Muni na lang na-abtan ko. Dasig maglapta amg kalayo. Mga five to 10 minutes kuno pila na ka balay ang nataban ‘ya kay grabe ang hangin,” Prandas told Panay News.
The BFP declared a “fire out” at 3:08 p.m.
There were no casualties or injuries were recorded but the fire left approximately P350,000 damaged properties, according to Senior Fire Officer (SFO) 1 Jake Ronald Solis, investigator of BFP Region 6.
As of this writing, the BFP was looking at an electric problem as possible cause of the fire.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 6 extended assistance to the fire victims on Christmas Eve.
The aid included food and non-food items (74 food packs and non-food items such as 37 sleeping, 37 hygiene kits and another 37 family kits).
The regional office, “Angels in Red vests” personnel, carried out its relief operation on Dec. 24 following the fire on the afternoon of the same day.
DSWD-6 thru the Disaster Response Management Division coordinated with the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) for assistance to the effected families/individuals.
The Iloilo City government thru CSWDO, on the other hand, delivered to the fire victims on Christmas Eve food and non-food items which include the following:
* 1,550 kilograms of rice
* 970 cans of sardines
* 531 cans of beef loaf
* 531 cans of corned beef
* non-food items such as 58 sleeping mats, 58 mosquito nets and 29 Jerry cans
The CSWDO and Molo District Unit Office continue to monitor the affected families/individuals./PN
