Tension rises between residents, village chief as fire hits 13 houses

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A total of nine houses were destroyed while four others were damaged in a fire at Purok Malipayon, Barangay 35 here Wednesday morning.

The fire broke out around 9:30 a.m. and immediately spread to houses made of light materials.

A tension broke out between the residents and village chief Ruben James Miranda when the firetrucks were reportedly not able to proceed to the area immediately because of unattended electrical wires and the gate of the gymnasium, which blocked the passageway.

Some residents got mad at the village chief and allegedly blamed him for the delay of the responders because fire-fighters cannot enter the fire scene.

Chief Inspector Publio Ploteña, city fire marshal, said they had difficulty penetrating the area because of narrow passageways.

Some residents even helped each other to put out the fire with pails of water.

However, the village chief said that the gym serves as a playground for children in the morning and also converts into a parking space at night.

Ploteña said the fire was initially caused by some children who were playing with matches.

No casualties were reported and all children who allegedly caused the fire were accounted for.

The value of properties that went up in smoke was pegged at P100,000.