One dead, 11 others injured in poultry farm blaze

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A man died while 11 others were wounded in a fire at Ta-ala Farms Inc. in Purok Kasilingan, Barangay Mansilingan here last Saturday.

Chief Inspector Rodel Legaspi, city fire marshal, identified the fatality as Johnrel Esparagoza, 26.

Most of the wounded victims suffered minor burns, while others had spinal injuries, dislocation, and laceration, based on the initial report of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Bacolod. They were taken to a hospital.

According to the BFP, the fire broke out around 1:16 p.m. at the storage facility of the poultry farm, which also serves as the barracks of the farm workers.

When the fire broke out, some of the workers immediately found a way to escape the facility, considering that they were on the upper floor, Legaspi said.

Legaspi said that some of the wounded victims jumped from the window, while others used the staircase to escape the burning facility.

But Esparagoza was trapped in the facility when he was not able to find the staircase easily.

“Nagtalang daw siya, and pag approach niya sa stairs, nag ibwal na ang kalayo,” Legaspi said, adding that Esparagoza’s body was found near the stairs after the firefighting operation.

Legaspi said that the fire immediately spread to the other parts of the facility, as its roof was made of plastic.

The fire left an estimated P2.6 million worth of damage. Fire out was declared after almost an hour.

Legaspi said that an investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the fire.