Fire razes 100 houses in Cebu City

Residents try to save their belonging crossing the dirty creek away from their burning houses at Sitio Bato Barangay Ermita Cebu City.(PHOTOS/WENCESLAO”JUNJIE” H. MENDOZA JR.)

CEBU CITY — A fire in three sitios in Barangay Ermita here razed at least 100 houses.

The fire was raised to general alarm one hour after the city fire department received the alert.

At least 50 fire trucks from different parts of Cebu, as far as Naga City and Consolacion, responded to the incident.

Senior Supt. Gilbert Dolot, Bureau of Fire Protection director in Central Visayas (BFP-7), said two persons were injured during the incident.

Worly Cerelles suffered first-degree burns while Wendell Tacoloy has a laceration.

The fire lasted nearly two hours before it was declared under control.

Firefighters had difficulty penetrating the fire scene because of the narrow roads, said Dolot.

Another challenge that made it more difficult was they ran out of water, Dolot said.

“The houses were made of light materials and stood close to each other that is why the fire spread quickly,” said Dolot./lzb

A police officer watches the burning houses on the South Coastal Road viaduct at Sitio Bato barangay Ermita Cebu City.