Fire guts General Santos City’s historic landmark

LANDMARK RAZED. Firemen douse the remaining embers on the charred structure of Jose Catolico Puericulture Center, one of General Santos City’s oldest landmarks. The early dawn fire that razed the two-story building destroyed about half a million worth of property on Monday, Jan. 18. PHOTO BY ROMMEL G. REBOLLIDO

GENERAL SANTOS CITY –– An early dawn fire gutted the historic Jose Catolico Puericulture Center here on Monday even amid a heavy downpour.

Built during the early 1950s along the city hall drive here, the two-story wooden structure had been a popular go-to place for expectant mothers for the affordable services there.

The facility was one of the few remaining old landmarks in the city.

Maila Ismael, a midwife at the center, said the fire started around 2:30 a.m. when a loud explosion was heard at the upper floor of the building and lights went off, said Ismael. “Flames immediately spread on the second floor,” Ismael added.

She said they were able to move to a hospital a woman who was set to deliver a baby early morning today, Monday.

Fire investigators estimated the initial damage from the fire at half a million pesos. No one was reported hurt among patients who recently delivered their babies and were immediately evacuated, a center staff said.

“Many old-time residents were born in that center, among them my siblings,” lamented Marvi Canzana, a resident. “(It’s s)o unfortunate that it is now gone,” Canzana said.

LZB