25 houses destroyed in CdO fire

25 houses destroyed in CdO fire | Daily Tribune

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Fire broke out anew in Zone 3, Barangay Patag here, destroying at least 25 houses and displacing 125 individualis, the Bureau of Fire Protection and city department of City Social Welfare and Development reported Monday.

CSWD officer Annie Tongson said that food and non-food items were given by the government to the fire victims who are now taking shelter in the collapsible tents in the covered court of Barangay Patag.

The CSWD provided initial assistance which included 10 kilos of rice, 10 cans of beef loaf and sardines, five cans of corned beef, 10 packs of Energen, hygiene box, mat, blanket, plates, oysters and pots.

The council of Barangay Patag gave dinner to the fire victims while the community kitchen was set up.

According to the BFP, the fire originated from the house of a certain Cecila Bollozos and rapidly spread in the compound where the houses were located.

Last Sunday, over 200 houses were razed to the ground and over 2,000 residents were displaced after fire broke out in barangays in San Lazaro in Barangay Lapasan and spilled over to barangay Puntod.

The fire which broke out at the residence of Sumampong family after 4 p.m. rapidly spread due to strong winds and gutted houses made of light materials causing panic among residents who rushed out from their houses to escape being trapped inside the 2,000-square meter compound.

Narrow alley leading to the area has hampered the entry of firetrucks prompting firemen to connect their hoses to combat the fire which spread to the neighboring coastal barangay of Puntod.

Firemen battled the blaze for three houses after it was declared under control Sunday evening.

BFP reported 200 houses were destroyed in Barangay Lapasan while 20 were also damaged in Barangay Pundot.

Families affected in Lapasan were evacuated to the barangay covered in La Paz 1 and Santa court while in Puntod the displaced residents were housed at the classrooms of North City elementary school.

The City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Department has deployed portable toilets while the social and health workers were deployed to process and provide health and relief assistance to the victims.

BFP reported several injuries but no casualties and are still investigating the cause of the fire.