BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – The city government will convene the Boarding House Commission (BHC) and officials of Barangay San Nicolas, La Paz district where a fire broke out and claimed two lives on Sunday, Feb. 18.
In a press conference yesterday, Mayor Jerry P. Treñas said the meeting aims to revisit the guidelines being imposed by the commission and determine whether boardinghouses in the city have permits.
This, as the BHC confirmed that six burned boardinghouses lacked permits, including the boardinghouse where the two renters died during the blaze.
“All boardinghouses will be continuously inspected by our personnel to ensure the safety of everyone,” said Treñas.
He added: “We have been ordering the closure of several boardinghouses because of violations. Waay kita nagapabaya but unfortunately natabu gid, very sad.”
Treñas said if violations are confirmed, erring boardinghouses will face closure.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Iloilo City earlier identified the fatalities as Lynrose Sobretodo, a 26-year-old call center agent, and 22-year-old third year Engineering student Renz Aguilar from Concepcion, Iloilo.
Fire investigators said victims were trapped on the third floor of their boardinghouse. Authorities believed the two were asleep in their respective rooms when the fire broke out. The fire exit of the boardinghouse where the victims were trapped was defective.
Mayor Treñas yesterday said the BHC will specifically inspect the electrical wiring of the affected boardinghouses.
“I call on everyone to be on alert for any possibility of the occurrence of fire. Due to the warm temperature and the effects of the El Niño phenomenon, there is always the possibility of fires occurring,” the city mayor said.
He said the city government will give at least P100,000 as burial assistance to the victims’ families.
“I condole with the families of the victims. The city government will give financial assistance for their burial. The CSWDO (City Social Welfare and Development Office) is presently assisting the victims. Once again, I condole with the families of the deceased,” said Treñas.
Initial reports showed that a total of five boardinghouses were totally razed, while another boardinghouse and a residential house were partially damaged.
The fire, with estimated damage amounting to P2.1 million, broke out at around 4:15 p.m. and was declared “fire out” at 5:24 p.m. The BFP Iloilo City is still determining the cause of the fire.
The CSWDO reported that 11 families, or 150 individuals including transient residents or boarders, were displaced by the fire. They are temporarily seeking shelter at Graciano Lopez Jaena Elementary School.
It has also distributed relief goods to the fire victims.
For totally damaged structures, the CSWDO distributed 25 kilos of rice, 14 cans of sardines, 14 cans of corned beef, and hygiene, sleeping and kitchen kits.
Meanwhile, the families whose houses were partially damaged received 10 kilos of rice, seven cans of sardines and seven cans of corned beef, while the boarders got two food packs each.
The city’s Regulation Ordinance 2000-01 provides that “no person shall own, keep, maintain, operate or conduct any house or place for accommodation of boarders or housing boarders or bedspacers for compensation or rent without having first obtained a mayor’s permit, sanitary permit, fire safety inspection permit, and paying other taxes, fees or charges.”/PN
