Candle fire leaves 38 homeless in Bacolod

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — A 21-year-old woman was injured and 38 residents were left homeless after a fire destroyed 11 houses in Purok Magti-ayon, Barangay 10, on Wednesday night.

The incident happened less than a month after a similar fire hit the same village on Jan. 24, destroying 27 houses.

Fire Insp. Jemarie Tapiru, deputy city fire marshal, said authorities received a walk-in report about five minutes after the fire broke out at about 9:38 p.m.

The blaze originated from a house occupied by two siblings, one of whom suffered a laceration on her right middle finger, Tapiru said.

The fire was raised to second alarm at 9:45 p.m., prompting all units to respond and go on standby.

Six houses were destroyed, while five others were partially damaged.

The fire was declared out at 10:05 p.m., with damage initially estimated at PHP 75,000.

Tapiru said the fire was caused by an open flame from an unattended lighted candle.

The house had reportedly been without electricity for a month.

Tapiru said the homeowners were not inside at the time and had allegedly left a lighted candle on top of a cabinet, which arson investigators identified as the point of origin.

Following the incident, Tapiru reminded the public not to leave homes unattended or go to sleep with lighted candles.

Displaced residents are temporarily staying at an evacuation center, the multipurpose gymnasium, and with relatives, according to Barangay 10 Captain Melvin Bravo.

“We did not fall short in reminding them about fire hazards,” Bravo said.

“It’s part of an accident but we make sure to instill to them the essence of fire safety,” he added.

The Department of Social Services and Development has extended assistance to the victims, including psychological support.

Barangay 10 is an urban village in Bacolod City where densely packed houses can allow fires to spread quickly, making early reporting and safe candle use critical during power interruptions.