Fire destroys beach cafe in Pontevedra

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD CITY – A fire inflicted P330,000 worth of damages to a beach cafe in Barangay Miranda, Pontevedra, Negros Occidental, just after the clock struck midnight on Black Saturday.

Senior Fire Officer 4 Norvic Mangubat, the acting municipal fire marshal, reported that the emergency call came in at around 12:50 a.m.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) of Pontevedra’s preliminary investigation points to the kitchen of Eleven Cafe and Beach Resort as the conflagration’s point of origin. Mangubat noted that the kitchen’s oil stock is suspected to have sparked the blaze, as it is a combustible material.

Despite this, Mangubat emphasized that an exhaustive inquiry is underway to determine the fire’s exact cause.

He also highlighted the firefighters’ success in preserving 10 cottages from the flames, thereby preventing any spread to nearby structures and homes.

The fire was extinguished within 20 minutes, and thankfully, no injuries were reported.

Following the event, the cafe’s management expressed their gratitude on Facebook to those offering continued support.

“It means more to us than you’ll ever know. It strengthened and gave us hope to rebuild this place and to serve you more. To keep the fire burning in our hearts that we will not be defeated by the recent tragic fire incident,” the statement read.

In a resilient promise to the community, they committed to not only rebuilding but also enhancing the joy and celebration in their establishment, even on regular days.

Acknowledging the broader impact of the fire, the management announced they are accepting in-kind donations to aid staff members who lost possessions in the blaze.

Monetary contributions are also welcomed to facilitate a swift recovery and provide interim support to the staff, crew, and volunteers.