70 families homeless after Kasambagan fire

Around 280 individuals from 70 families were left homeless after a fourth-alarm twin fire razed a residential area in Sitio Univille, Barangay Kasambagan, Cebu City, yesterday afternoon, leaving damage approximately P3.9 million.

- 

Firefighters examine the extent of the damage following the fire that struck a structure near the University of Cebu-Banilad Campus Saturday afternoon. JOY TORREJOS

(JOY TORREJOS)

Based on the initial investigation of the Cebu City Fire Station (CCFS), the blaze reportedly started at around 2:04 P.M.

Fire authorities immediately raised the first alarm by 2:10 P.M., second at 2:14 P.M., third around 2:29 P.M., and fourth at 2:58 P.M. The fire was placed under control at 3:23 P.M. and was fully extinguished around 4:31 P.M.

The fire engulfed about 2,600 square meters in the area, where a total of 52 houses were burned.

Reportedly, two unidentified individuals were injured after sustaining undetermined degree of burns during the incident.

CCFS confirmed that the estimated damage of the incident reached up to P3,900,000.

Meanwhile, on the reports of an alleged "twin fire", Senior Fire Officer 3 Wendell Villanueva, information officer of CCFS, clarified that the two incidents were interconnected.

He asserted that the first fire broke out in a house behind University of Cebu-Banilad campus. He added that beside the same school, another fire suddenly struck a house near a gasoline station in the same sitio. A stray ember is suspected to have caused it.

"Nagdungan og sunog mao nang na-overwhelm ang atoang mga sakop sa kabomberohan nga duha ka sunog dungan nga gitubag," he told the reporters, "posible nga konektado ra kay nisubay kuno sa kuryente."