BY RHENJIE MARIE CALANTAS
ILOILO City – Eighty-eight houses caught fire in Barangay Rizal Pala-Pala II, City Proper on Saturday.
According to the Iloilo City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, 66 houses were totally damaged while 22 were partially burned.
The blaze started at around 8:50 a.m.
“Property damage was estimated to have reached P2,250,000.
The fire was allegedly caused by an unattended lighted candle on the second floor of Margarito Corea’s house, the initial investigation of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) showed.
A blackout hit Western Visayas beginning April 27. Power was only restored to full capacity on Sunday.
The blaze displaced 384 individuals from 107 families. They temporarily moved to the multipurpose building and daycare center of the barangay.
Barangay Kagawad Reynaldo Gidor told Panay News residents did bayanihan to help put out the fire.
“Gulpiyada nag dako ang kalayo. Nag-bayanihan system kami, galing tungod dako na bala ang kalayo te wala gid,” said Gidor. “Kita niyo man diri [evacuation centers] ang sitwasyon namon, kag kung luyag kamo magbulig, pasalamatan gid ina namon sang dako.”
Gidor also lauded the BFP for their alertness in responding.
Arson investigator Senior Fire Officer 1 Jake Ronald Solis told Panay News the blaze reached 4th alarm status. “Fire out” was declared around 10:36 a.m.
Three injuries were reported.
“May difficulty in breathing, may nagsakit ang tuhod kay nahulog, tapos may ara nga laceration sa right foot,” said Solis.
He added: “Sa subong padayon pa gid kita sa gihapon sa pag-conduct sang follow-up investigation kung ano gid ang ginhalinan sang sunog.”/Residents of a neighborhood hit by fire in Barangay Rizal Pala-Pala II, Iloilo City salvage whatever’s left of their gutted houses. They are appealing for help. AJ PALCULLO/PN
