BY MA. THERESA LADIAO
ILOILO City – A total of 25 houses were razed by a nearly one-hour fire in Zone 3, Locsin Avenue, Barangay Tacas, Jaro district, on Saturday night, January 4.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Iloilo City reported that 23 houses were completely destroyed and two more were partially damaged from the blaze which covered an area of 662 square meters.
Damage was pegged at approximately P331,000.
The fire started at 7:01 p.m. and reached the third alarm status. A “fire out” was declared at 7:55 p.m.
In a Panay News interview yesterday, residents recounted that the fire possibly originated from a motorbike explosion, which spread gasoline and ignited nearby structures.
Others mentioned it began in a heap of flammable materials before rapidly consuming the densely packed homes.
Despite the extent of the damage, no injuries were reported, according to the BFP-Iloilo City.
As of writing, authorities were still conducting a thorough investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire.
Meanwhile, the 26 affected families, or 97 individuals, temporarily sought shelter at the barangay hall./PN
