BY MA. THERESA LADIAO
ILOILO City – Fifty-five houses were totally gutted while 41 others were partially damaged when a fire razed Zone 1, Barangay Old Airport, Mandurriao district yesterday morning.
As of 3 p.m. yesterday, the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) recorded 115 families, or 420 individuals, displaced.
Property damage was estimated at P2,100,000, said Fire Officer 2 John Verano, investigator of the Bureau of Fire (BFP) – Iloilo City.
The fire broke out around 7:48 a.m. and a “fire out” was declared around 9:01 a.m.
Verano said the fire quickly spread since the houses were mostly made of light materials.
There were no reported deaths.
As of this writing, arson investigators were still investigating the cause of the blaze.
Displaced residents temporarily sought shelter at Mandurriao Elementary School.
Fifty classrooms were converted into evacuation centers, said Principal Mila Edrosolano.
Classes remain uninterrupted, she clarified.
As of yesterday afternoon, the CSWDO already provided the affected residents with food from the community kitchen, eight sacks of rice, 300 canned goods, 100 bottles of mineral water, and kitchen, hygiene and sleeping kits.
Almost two years ago, or on March 11, 2022, a fire gutted 66 houses also in Barangay Old Airport.
An estimated 107 families were displaced./PN
