TWO fire outbreaks greeted Cebu City in 2012, ahead of the annual Sinulog celebrations this week.
A fire swept through the second floor of a two-storey commercial building in V. Gullas Street, barangay Manalili in Cebu City yesterday afternoon.
A smaller fire hit a home in Osmeña Drive, Tres de Abril, barangay Labangon 16 minutes later.
Fire swept through the entire second floor of the 64-year-old Regino Building owned by couple Andy and Dading Uy that housed the New York Handbag Factory which sold bags and dry goods.
Cebu City Fire Marshal Aderson Comar said the fire originated at the back portion of the second floor of the building.
He said it was caused by an electrical short circuit.
Comar said the building’s second floor served as a stock room. Damages were pegged at P175,000.
He said the amount covers only the damage done to the structure and doesn’t include the items lost in the blaze.
Comar said the concrete materials used in the structure were already old.
A firewall prevented the blaze from spreading to nearby buildings.
He said firefighters entered the stairway at the building’s back portion to put out the fire.
Among the vendors displaced by the the fire was 57-year-old Zosima Quevedo who sold her wares at the building for 37 years.
She said she managed to carry her vegetables outside as the fire broke out.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, who noticed smoke coming out of the building while watching the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan event in Abellana Sports Center, drove to the fire scene in Manalili.
Most establishments in the area were closed but customers in some outlets like La Nueva grocery store left to witness the fire.
About 40 new volunteers from the Regional Emergency Assistance Communications Team (REACT) helped put out the fire.
Elsewhere, a fire broke out in the living room of a 17-year-old who tried to commit suicide.
Comar said they received the report at past 3 p.m. He said the 17-year-old boy kept firefighters at bay by waving a knife and bolo at them.
One of the firefighters sprayed a fire extinguisher at the boy, disabling him in time for them to do their job.
Damages were pegged at P2,000. The 17-year-old boy received treatment from the Emergency Response Unit Foundation personnel. /Rhea Ruth V. Roselland Edison delos Angeles