• RICHARD T. CABALLERO JR.
At least 234 houses burned in a massive residential fire that broke out at Purok Cereza, Barangay 27 in Bacolod City at around 12 a.m. yesterday, which lasted about three hours.
As per the latest monitoring of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), at least 314 families, or nearly about 963 individuals, were displaced by the incident.
The latest record showed that 232 houses were totally destroyed while two others were partially damaged, leaving an estimated P4.5 million worth of damage, as most of the houses burned were made of light materials.
Bureau of Fire Protection Bacolod City Superintendent Jenny Mae Masip said that the blaze was first reported at 12:09 a.m., through a walk-in informant at the Lopez Jaena Substation. Unfortunately, just minutes before it was reported, the station’s fire truck was out, responding to a residential fire at Brgy. Granada.
The alarm was transferred with the BFP Bacolod main office for immediate dispatch of the nearest sub-station. The nearest fire truck from the Libertad substation responded to the area within four minutes. Upon its arrival on scene, 10 houses had already been consumed by the fire.
No casualties or injuries were recorded among the displaced persons. However, one of the responding firefighters suffered an arm injury that required stitches, after getting snagged on a knife while pulling hoses during the operation, Masip reported.
Based on the investigation, the fire started on the second floor of the house rented by alias “Fritz” and alias “Sunshine.” Masip further revealed that the couple was tapping power from their neighbor, as the BFP claimed that electrical ignition due to overload caused the fire.
Neighbors reported that before the incident, an altercation occurred between the couple. However, the BFP claimed that the altercation was not connected to the fire incident.
Recovered at the scene was an extension wire plugged into a ceiling fan and phone charger which was later brought to the investigation unit for electrical analysis.
“The fire was accidental in nature. It cannot be considered arson because arson is intentional. At most, it may fall under negligence resulting in damage to property,” Masip explained, urging the couple to present themselves before the authorities for further investigation.
Responders faced difficulty reaching the area due to limited access, with only Rizal and Lopez Jaena streets serving as the entry points into the affected area.
The BFP Bacolod raised the fire alarm to level 3 due to the massive fire. Thirty-one fire trucks, including volunteer fire brigades and fire trucks from neighboring cities, responded to the incident, which was declared fire out at around 3 a.m.
The displaced individuals are now taking temporary shelter at Apolinario Mabini Elementary School in Brgy. 28.
CITY EXTENDS HELP
The City Government of Bacolod, through the Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD), immediately assisted the displaced persons at the evacuation site.
Mayor Greg Gasataya said that the first step that the city took was to ensure that all the essentials and necessities needed by the evacuees are available at the evacuation area.
“We immediately provided their basic needs like water, folding beds, and modular tents for their privacy, and we also distributed food packs and other essentials,” Gasataya said.
He also disclosed that the city will be providing the displaced persons with financial aid needed for the rehabilitation of their burned houses.
“On the part of the city, we will process everything to give financial assistance for the victims,” he said, citing that the amount to be given is still up for evaluation and validation.
Gasataya also expressed his urgency to the affected individuals to cease blaming one another and to focus only on how to help one another, especially in this time of grief.
“We have to understand where they are coming from; to be victimized by fire is no joke. Some of them have been living there for years; they sacrificed their blood, sweat, and tears to build their house. We understand their feelings, but hopefully that will subside; instead, we must concentrate on how to help each other to stand again,” he further expressed.
Various organizations and other neighboring government units have extended assistance to the victims in donations of food, clothes, and essentials.
REHABILITATION OR RELOCATION?
The mayor said that they are already doing everything to discuss the fate of the displaced persons since they were allowed to stay at the current evacuation site for only 15 days.
He added that the city is currently checking and tracking the ownership of the property, as some of the affected families claimed that they were holding a land title, while some have not.
The city is seeking to relocate individuals who are willing to leave the area to relocation sites in Abada-Escay and Arao, Bacolod City.
“We have been checking the ownership of the property, and as for the relocation, we will meet with the BHA (Bacolod Housing Authority) for those who are willing to transfer to the relocation site,” he said.
As of press time yesterday, the mayor is set to meet with the concerned agencies and the barangay council to discuss plans regarding relocation and to identify those who will be possibly relocated.*
