Jaro fire razes 83 houses, displaces 106 families

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

A fire that broke out around noon Monday, Feb. 16, tore through a densely populated residential community in Jaro district, destroying dozens of homes and affecting more than a hundred families.

The Iloilo City Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said the blaze struck Sitio Dike in Barangay Benedicto, destroying 83 houses, including 80 that were completely reduced to ashes.

Authorities said many of the homes were made of light materials and built close to one another, conditions that fueled the rapid spread of the fire.

The incident displaced 106 families, or 366 individuals.

Seventeen people sustained injuries, but no deaths were reported.

During firefighting operations, responders rescued two individuals who had been trapped — a 57-year-old man and an 11-year-old boy.

At least 88 families temporarily took shelter at the barangay’s multipurpose hall and chapel.

The BFP said it received the fire alarm at 12:56 p.m.

By 1:16 p.m., the blaze had escalated to a fourth alarm.

The fire was declared under control at 2:25 p.m.

As of Tuesday morning, 60 displaced families had received relief assistance, including family food packs, ready-to-eat meals, and nonfood items from the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

The BFP pegged total damage at more than PHP 680,000.

Initial findings indicate the fire may have been caused by an electrical fault that started in an unoccupied house at the time of the incident.

Barangay officials and city authorities are continuing to assess the needs of affected families as emergency response teams coordinate relief and recovery efforts in the area.