ILOILO City – A late night blaze broke out in Barangay Magsaysay, La Paz district on Friday, May 30, displacing 26 individuals and damaging six homes.
According to the Iloilo City Emergency Operations Center (EOC), the fire started at around 10:48 p.m. and quickly escalated. Authorities raised the second alarm just two minutes later, followed by a third alarm at 10:58 p.m. The blaze was declared fully extinguished at 11:31 p.m.
No casualties were reported, based on confirmation from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).
However, one evacuee, a 74-year-old man, was treated for dizziness and difficulty of breathing, stabilized, and later discharged without the need for medication, according to the City Health Office’s (CHO) health emergency response team.
Authorities said all six houses, made of mixed construction materials, were reported as totally damaged. Also, six families, composed of 26 individuals, have been displaced and are currently taking temporary shelter at the barangay chapel, which has been converted into an evacuation center.
As of this writing, the cause of the fire was still under investigation.
Meanwhile, responding to the emergency were fire teams from multiple units, including the Iloilo City Fire Station, FedFire, ICAG, Montain Tigers, Pegasus, Unicorn, GLOC, ASVRO, EMR Raptor, and RPPM. An ambulance unit from the Iloilo City Emergency Responders was also deployed on site.
City and barangay responders, along with volunteer groups, immediately activated support operations.
For its part, the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) provided emergency relief, including four sacks of rice, 240 cans of beef loaf, 62 cans of corned beef, 84 cans of sardines, six sleeping kits, six hygiene kits, and six jerry cans./PN
