Man killed in Christmas Day blaze

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A man with disability died in a fire at Purok 2, Barangay Asia, Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental on Christmas Day.

Police withheld the name of the 39-year-old victim, who had an amputated leg.

According to the police, the victim and his 34-year-old stepson had a drinking session that morning to celebrate Christmas.

Later that night, the victim’s stepson went home for dinner.

After an hour, he was informed by their neighbors that the victim’s house was burning around 9:30 p.m., and the victim failed to go out of his residence.

The blaze gobbled an estimated P10,000 worth of property.

According to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), they are exploring all possibilities in the incident to determine the cause of fire, and how the incident happened.

Meanwhile, a house was damaged in a fire at Hervias Dos Subdivision, Barangay Villamonte on that same day, around 12:01 p.m.

Damages were pegged at P180,000, according to the BFP. Fire out was declared at 12:14 p.m.

On December 23, six houses were also razed by fire at Purok Bolinao, Barangay 1 here.

BFP-Bacolod reported that the fire broke out around 6:38 p.m. from the house of Raffy Tragona.

The blaze was raised to the second alarm two minutes later, destroying five houses, and damaging one.

An estimated P100,000 worth of property was damaged. Fire out was declared at 7:28 p.m.

Arson investigators have yet to determine the cause of fire.