Exploding cellphone charger starts Zambo fire; 15 houses razed

ZAMBOANGA CITY – An overheated cellphone charger started a fire that razed 15 houses in Barangay Talon-talon here at around 10:45 a.m. Friday, initial investigation showed.

Supt. Jhufel Brañanola, Zamboanga City fire marshal, said based on investigation, an unattended cellular phone charger inside the house of certain Lucia Duran started the fire.

“(It) overheated and exploded,” Brañanola said.

He said the fire razed 15 houses – including Duran’s – in the Little Tondo area on Talon-talon Loop.

No one was reported hurt in the fire that raged for about an hour and left some P500,000 in damages,  Brañanola said.  /muf