BACOLOD City – At least P4.3 million in property damage was reported following a fire at the Home for the Blind compound in Purok Paglaum, Barangay Mansilingan here on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 13.
According to the city’s Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), three houses were totally destroyed while two others suffered extensive damage.
Around 29 families were affected. They are temporarily sheltered at the Barangay Mansilingan multipurpose gym.
The BFP said they received a “fire call” around 1:18 p.m.
The fire was reported to have started at the residence of a certain Antonieta Florogo.
Florogo, in an interview, said she and her partner went to the downtown area leaving behind her niblings when the fire occurred.
She admitted that they use a butane gas stove, although she denied that it was the cause of the blaze, pointing out that her niblings do not know how to cook.
She further revealed that one of the occupants of the house plugged an electrical device which caused a spark and ultimately caused the blaze.
The BFP, meanwhile, is still conducting an investigation and validating if the fire was indeed electrical in nature.
A “fire out” was declared around 1:46 p.m. and firefighters initially had some slight difficulty in battling the blaze due to the strong winds as well as the houses being made of light materials.
Local village officials, led by barangay chairwoman Inday Franz Gasataya, vowed that they will quickly process the affected residents’ financial assistance.
The barangay has also handed out relief goods to the affected residents.
The City Government of Bacolod has also provided the displaced residents with hygiene kits.
The city’s Department of Social Services and Development is also preparing their financial assistance.
Mayor Alfredo Benitez personally visited the fire victims on Saturday night to assure the affected that they will receive help from the city government. (Watchmen Daily Journal)/PN
