19 houses razed in pre-dawn fire

By Jennifer P. Rendon 

An early morning fire gobbled 19 houses in Mandurriao, Iloilo City on Thursday.

Fifteen of the 19 houses were totally burned while four were partially damaged after the fire struck around 3:59 a.m. in the thickly-populated Sitio Malipayon of Barangay Bakhaw.

Fire Chief Inspector Melanie Habawel, Bureau of Fire Protection-Iloilo City, said fire fighters arrived at the scene in 3 to 4 minutes since they received the call.

“The fire already razed around seven houses,” she said.

While not all houses were made of light materials, Habawel said the fire quickly spread because of the close proximity of the structures.

The fire was put under control at 4:55 a.m. and was totally quelled at 6:27 a.m.

Initial investigation indicated that the fire originated from the house of a certain Alope Prevendido.

The house was reportedly unoccupied for several months already.

Habawel said investigation is still ongoing to ascertain the cause of fire.

But reports pointed to the possibility that short circuit of illegal wiring triggered the blaze.

Damage to property was pegged at P1,780,000.

On May 15, around 100 families were rendered homeless after an early morning fire guzzled 80 houses in Ortiz in City Proper district, Iloilo City.

Just like in Mandurriao, the fire also originated from a house, whose occupants were not around for about two months already.