Stove eyed as cause of Toledo fire

AN unattended electric stove switched on at its highest setting was found by fire investigators who suspect this may have caused the April 9 fire  that destroyed 34 houses in sitio Bagong Buhay, barangay Das-Lutopan in Toledo City, southern Cebu.

SFO2 Constancio Alcover of the Toledo City fire department said they found  the remains of the a burned electric stove in  the uninhabited duplex house of Josephus Alguno at 9 a.m. yesterday.

Alguno lives near his brother Ray Alguno. FO1 Rudolfo Plaider of the Lutopan fire station found a butane spray can inside Ray’s house last Monday.

Ray denied owning the butane spray and questioned why it was found inside his house.  Ray said it was possible that someone tried to burn down his house.   Alcover ruled out arson as the cause of fire and said it was an accident.

“Ray Alguno has no known enemies. Why would someone like to burn their house?” Alcover said.

Canned goods, water and rice were distributed to the fire victims by the office of Rep. Pablo John Garcia of Cebu’s 3rd district.

The families were temporarily housed at the Don Andres Soriano National High School building.  Property damage was estimated at P1.2 million.

Vice Mayor Arlene Zambo said the fire was the biggest to hit the city since the 1990s. Correspondent Rhea Ruth V. Rosell and UP Intern Peter L. Romanillos