35 families lose homes to twin Bacolod fires

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY – Two residential fires struck this city on consecutive days, leaving 35 families homeless and damaging a total of 16 houses.

The first fire was reported at 4:40 p.m. on Sunday at Purok 3, Batad, Sitio Magsungay, Barangay Singcang-Airport.

The blaze affected five families, or 13 individuals, and destroyed three houses.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Bacolod said two houses were totally damaged while one was partially damaged, with losses estimated at PHP 15,000. Firefighters declared the fire under control at 4:59 p.m.

Fire Inspector Jemarie Tapiru, deputy city fire marshal, said the fire was caused by an overheated ceiling fan in a house occupied by two siblings.

Another fire broke out the following day at around 5:20 a.m. in Purok Masanag 1, Barangay 26, leaving 30 families, or about 60 individuals, homeless.

A total of 13 houses were affected, nine of which were totally damaged while four sustained partial damage.

The fire was raised to second alarm at 5:38 a.m. due to its intensity and was declared out at 5:55 a.m.

Tapiru said firefighters encountered difficulty accessing the area because of narrow passageways, forcing them to climb rooftops to contain the flames.

The fire reportedly originated from an unoccupied house due to electrical arcing. Property damage was estimated at PHP 150,000.

No injuries were reported in the two incidents, and the city government immediately assisted the affected families.

Meanwhile, Tapiru said a separate fire that occurred last Saturday in Barangay 10 was caused by an open flame.

A 26-year-old woman sustained minor burns after returning to the fire scene to retrieve valuables.

The number of affected houses in the area rose to 31 from the initially reported 27, including 27 totally damaged and four partially damaged homes. Damage was estimated at PHP 237,500.

Tapiru noted that the fire-hit areas in Barangays 26 and 10 are considered fire-prone due to congested conditions and the prevalence of houses made of light materials.

Following the recent spate of fires, Tapiru reminded the public to regularly check electrical wiring and appliances, ensure liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanks are safe, and never leave candles or open flames unattended to help prevent fires.