Houses razed by Singcang-Airport fire climbs to 55

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – From an initial tally of 26 houses, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) here has reported that 55 houses were razed by a fire that hit Barangay Singcang-Airport here last Monday.

47 houses were destroyed while eight others were partially damaged, based on data from the BFP.

Chief Inspector Rodel Legaspi, city fire marshal, said the blaze started from the second floor of the two-story house owned by a certain Teresa Pestaño, 65.

Legaspi said they immediately responded to the area after they sighted thick black smoke from the fire station. They received the fire call around 4:18 p.m.

Legaspi said the fire spread quickly among the houses that were mostly made of light materials. Even make-shift structures across a creek also caught fire.

Legaspi said firefighters had difficulty penetrating the area at first for lack of parking space for the fire trucks. The firemen had to extend their hoses to reach the affected area, he added.

Legaspi said they are eyeing an overheated electrical installation as the possible cause of the fire.

The BFP also has to check the affected households with the barangay for the official figures.

Meanwhile, the fire victims were temporarily sheltered in a school and modular tents. They were already provided by the government with assistance.

But village chief Rosinie Distrito continues to call for help for the fire victims, who do not just suffer from the pandemic, but also from the loss of their homes and properties.