BY MA. THERESA LADIAO
ILOILO City – A fire on Sunday afternoon in Barangay San Nicolas, La Paz district resulted in two fatalities and damage to several residential structures.
Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Iloilo City fire marshal Chief Supt. Melanie Habawel said the fatalities were identified as call center agent Lynrose Sobretodo, 26, and third year Engineering student Renz Aguilar of Concepcion, Iloilo.
Initial reports showed that the fatalities were trapped on the third floor of their boardinghouse.
Authorities believed the two were asleep in their respective rooms when the fire broke out.
The BFP Iloilo City was still also accounting for the tenants of all boardinghouses affected as of this writing.
The proximity of two schools explains the high number of boarding houses in the area.
As of this writing, barangay officials and the city’s BFP were still determining the total number of structures affected and the cause of the fire, which erupted around 4 p.m.
Preliminary estimates indicated that the fire displaced 150 people and caused approximately P2.1 million in property damage.
In an interview with Panay News, one of the tenants said she was on her way back after shopping for groceries when she learned of the incident. “Hailey” lost all of her belongings to the blaze.
“Naglakat ko kay nang-grocery, tapos gulpi nag-chat akon nga upod nga nasunog amon nga boardinghouse. Dali-dali ko puli kag didto ko na gid na-realize nga ang mga gamit namon ubos gid, wala na bilin. Gin tugyan gid sang Ginoo nga maglakat ko para ma-secure ko akon kaugalingon kag safe ako,” Hailey said.
Affected individuals, including residents and tenants, are currently seeking shelter at Graciano Lopez Jaena Elementary School. They have been provided with an initial set of food and non-food items by the City Social Welfare and Development Office./PN
