Three homes destroyed in P190K Panitan blaze

By Felipe V. Celino

ROXAS CITY, Capiz – A fire ravaged three homes on the evening of March 18, in Sitio Sugod, Barangay Salocon, Panitan, Capiz, resulting in approximately P190,000 in losses.

Fire Officer 2 Erwin Valles, the arson investigator from Panitan Municipal Fire Station, confirmed the homeowners as Donnel Villanueva, Gilda Alba, and Josefina Villanueva, all of legal age.

Valles reported the fire ignited at about 9:10 pm and was extinguished by 10:29 pm, triggering a 2nd alarm response.

The structures, constructed of mixed light materials, allowed the fire to spread rapidly.

Preliminary findings indicate the blaze originated in Josefina’s kitchen, although the exact cause has yet to be determined.

Assistance from fire trucks of the Bureau of Fire Protection in Panitan, Loctugan Substation, Maayon, Pontevedra, and members of the Capiz Citizens Action Group (CACAG) and Ferocity was crucial in dousing the flames.

The arson investigation is ongoing to pinpoint the cause of the fire.