Two blazes greet Fire Prevention Month kick-off in Capiz

By Felipe V. Celino

ROXAS CITY, Capiz – Two fire incidents greeted the official start of the Fire Prevention Month Wednesday morning, March 1, in Pontevedra and Sigma towns in Capiz.

In Pontevedra town, the house of Carlos Vasquez, 69, of Barangay Agbanog was razed to the ground by a fire of still undetermined cause.

The fire erupted around 7:15 a.m., according to Barangay Kagawad Junjun Bauson.

Bauson said no one was home during the fire as Vasquez and his family moved to another house at Brgy. Agbanog also in Pontevedra after days of hospital confinement.

The house was made of light materials and authorities valued the burnt property at P70,000.

Another house owned by Eliuterio Jorge, 37, also went up in smoke at Barangay Matangcong, Sigma.

According to Fire Officer 1 Joelene V. Contreras, Sigma Municipal Fire Station arson investigator, Jorge was roused from his sleep by the flaring blaze. He quickly ran out with nothing but the clothes he was wearing.

The fire gobbled an estimated P90,000 worth of properties.

Themed “Sa Pag-iwas sa Sunog, Hindi ka Nag-iisa,” the Fire Prevention Month kick-off ceremony was attended by Fire Chief Insp. Jesus Valenzuela, Roxas City fire marshal; and Fire Supt. Jenny Mae Masip, Capiz Provincial fire marshal.

The ceremony was held at the Roxas City Fire Station on Bilbao Street here.

A simultaneous blowing of fire truck sirens of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Capiz and volunteer firetrucks was held around 12 p.m.

In his message, Masip asked for the support of the public, reminding them to always observe fire prevention practices.