ANTIQUE – Two houses were destroyed by a fire in Barangay La Rioja, Patnongon town around 4 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 7.
The houses owned by Leoncio G. Maestre and daughter Michellen P. Maestre were made of light materials, according to Senior Fire Officer 1 Shela Mae Ibañez, acting municipal fire marshal of the Bureau Fire Station (BFP) – Patnongon.
Ibañez said they were looking at two possible causes of the conflagration – short circuit or fire left unattended after cooking balut.
BFP-Patnongon pegged the cost of damage at P108,000.
The Maestre family, meanwhile, was thankful that no one was injured during the incident.
Ibañez said the affected family members were temporarily staying with relatives and appealing for help like clothes. They failed to secure their belongings when the fire broke out./PN