BY JEN BAYLON
ILOILO City – On Tuesday morning, Oct. 17, two structural fires erupted in the metro, resulting in an estimated P500,000 in damages.
At around 8:44 a.m., a blaze engulfed two adjacent houses in Alta Tierra Village, Barangay Quintin Salas, in Jaro district.
Fire Officer 3 John Travelez of the Iloilo City Fire Station estimated the damage at approximately P408,000.
The homes owned by the Bacolod and Soliman families were completely destroyed.
Meanwhile, Salvacion Catig’s property suffered partial damage.
“When the BFP (Bureau of Fire Protection) Alta Tierra substation arrived, the flames had already consumed the entire house. We immediately took firefighting measures, especially given the combustible materials used in the construction of the house’s second floor,” Travelez explained.
Furthermore, many products, primarily clothing, from Gerlie Soliman’s online business were lost in the fire. Rosalie Bacolod sustained minor burns on her left arm while attempting to rescue their belongings.
Authorities believe the fire might have started from the main electrical power switch.
Earlier that day, at around 7:14 a.m., a business office in Pavia, Iloilo caught fire.
This establishment was located within a subdivision in Barangay Pandac.
Senior Fire Officer 3 Edison Gimotea of the Pavia Fire Station reported that this property was also partially damaged, amounting to an estimated P150,000 in losses.
“The building was constructed of concrete materials. Fortunately, no one was inside at the time, and no injuries were reported,” said Gimotea.
As of this writing, the BFP was still investigating the causes of both fires./PN
