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BY BOY RYAN ZABAL
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BORACAY – Investigators have yet to determine the cause of the fire that destroyed 225 establishments and 30 houses in this island resort on Sept. 18.
But the origin of the blaze had been identified, according to Fire Inspector Sidgie Gerardo of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Malay.
Witnesses pointed to Stall No. 57 of Flag Taste of India Management, Inc. as the site where the fire started at around 4:30 a.m., Gerardo said. The one-story Stall No. 57 stands next to the wet market.
Most of the gutted structures at D’Talipapa in Zone 7, Barangay Balabag were made of mixed materials and popular among tourists for palutô, or cooking service, said Gerardo.
Fire trucks from BFP units in Ibajay, Tangalan, Buruanga, and Boracay, and volunteer groups also responded.
Firefighters put the blaze under control at 11:45 a.m. and declared “fire out” at 12:05 p.m.
A total of 126 stalls owned by 112 owners, 12 kiosks, 28 variety stores owned by 20 individuals, and 59 fish, meat, seafood, and vegetable market tables managed by 52 persons were destroyed, investigation showed.
Seven families were accommodated at the Balabag evacuation center after the fire.
Gerardo, ground commander during the response, said they estimated the cost of damage at P10 million even though the many victims have yet to submit affidavits of loss.
Around 20 stallholders have submitted affidavits to BFP-Boracay as of this writing.
“The ashes, electrical wires and other physical evidence collected from the fire scene were submitted to the BFP regional office,” Gerardo told the Sangguniang Bayan of Malay on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) Malay was still verifying some individuals claiming to be victims and the number of workers in the affected stalls.
No casualties were reported but 195 stallholders and 177 households were affected, the MSWDO said, citing records as of Sept. 22. (Aklan Forum Journal/PN)
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