One hurt as fire razes 23 houses

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A woman was injured when a fire broke out at Doña Juliana Subdivision, Purok Sunrise, Barangay Taculing here Friday, destroying 19 houses and damaging four others.

Chief Inspector Publio Ploteña, city fire marshal, identified the wounded resident as 38-year-old Joanne Tordillas, who suffered minor burns.

Ploteña said the fire reportedly started from the house of Ruel Tordillas around 1:32 p.m. It immediately spread to other neighboring houses, which were mostly made of light materials.

Ploteña said firefighters had difficulty penetrating the area at first because of the narrow passage, considering that the area was overcrowded with houses.

“Ga inikit-ikit abi ang mga balay,” he added. This prompted them to raise the alarm status to second alarm, he said.

He said the fire was quelled around 2:17 p.m. but not before gobbling an estimated P300,000 worth of property.

Arson investigators have yet to determine the cause of fire.