Fire hits 3 houses in San Roque

Fire razed three houses and a boardinghouse in barangay San Roque, Cebu City shortly before noon yesterday.

The blaze also damaged the walls and windows of a six-story building in Lapu-Lapu Street.

Property damage was estimated at P100,000.

Conching Batur, owner of the restaurant at the ground floor of Cebu Hang Ha Foundation Inc. building, said she sustained minor burns in her hands.

Batur said the fire started  at the adjacent boardinghouse owned by Christina Luardo.

“The boarders in the boardinghouse did not alarm us of the fire. It was my customers who informed me about it,” Batur said in Cebuano.

Jerome Butar, a boarder of Luardo, said he noticed that their lights flickered on and off before the fire.

Lourdes Gacayan, 59, one of the fire victims, said she was unable to save any of their belongings. She said her daughter will be taking the Licensure Examination  for Teachers next year and her school records  were not spared.

“I was unable to save the documents,” Gacayan said.

Cebu City Fire Marshall Senior Supt. Aderson Comar said the fire alarm was reported  at 11:15 a.m. and was placed under control  in 17 minutes. He said the cause of the fire is still to be determined./correspondents chito aragon with kathreena bisnar