ILOILO City – Three houses were razed by fire late Sunday night, August 24, in Zone 1, Barangay Alalasan, Lapuz district.
The houses were owned by Allan Porras, Mario Mandac, and the Gumapas family, authorities said.
Initial investigation by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Iloilo City revealed that the blaze started in Porras’ residence.
Fire Officer 2 John Paquito Verano, arson investigator of BFP-Iloilo City, said fire patterns suggest the fire may have been triggered by an electrical short circuit in the living room.
The flames quickly spread, causing panic among residents, but prompt response from the city fire station, assisted by nearby villagers, prevented the fire from spreading to other homes. The BFP-Iloilo City declared the “fire out” at 12:18 a.m. on Monday, August 25.
While no one was reported injured, affected families lost their homes and belongings. Authorities said the fire left an estimated P600,000 worth of damage.
Verano said collected evidence will be forwarded to the BFP Central Office’s fire laboratory service for further examination to confirm the cause.
Residents, meanwhile, recalled how the fire erupted suddenly and gave them little time to salvage their belongings.
“Gulpi lang nag-ibwal ang kalayo kag napuhag gid kami,” one witness said.
Authorities were continuing their investigation as of this writing, while the displaced families were expected to receive assistance from the barangay and the city government./PN
