Tacloban village battered by Christmas Eve double whammy: Fire at height of Ursula

TACLOBAN CITY–Fire tore through a village here on Christmas Eve just as Typhoon Ursula was battering the city.

At least 18 houses mostly made of light materials were destroyed by the fire at the village of 66 in Anibong District around 8 p.m. on Dec. 24.

It lasted for about two hours. A resident, Berting Escano, suffered minor burns.

The blaze was believed to have started in Escano’s house, who was alone at the time, said village chair Fe Martija.

The village, with more than 800 residents, is along the Anibong Bay which was hit hard by Supertyphoon Yolanda six years ago.

Tomas Aguja, a retired police officer and now one of the village’s council members, said residents could not believe that the fire happened while they were trying to escape the wrath of Ursula.

“How can we celebrate Christmas with this kind of situation?” he said.

“We survived Yolanda six years ago with our house sustaining partial damage. But now, it’s burned down,” the 56-year old father of three, said.

Aguja said he and his family would stay in the meantime at the village watchmen’s outpost building with other fire and typhoon victims of the village.

“We hope our government will come to help us, especially during this Christmas time,” he said.

“Otherwise, we might just welcome the New Year homeless,” he added.

Edited by TSB