Mandaue fire sweeps slum

At least  258 poor families or 1,000 persons were displaced in yesterday’s fire that hit a relocation site in Zone Lower, Camansi, barangay Pakna-an in Mandaue City at 8:16 a.m. yesterday.

An abandoned 5-month-old  baby girl was rescued in one of the burning houses.

The  neighborhood was occupied by urban poor families who were relocated there after being evicted in demolitions in the cities of Cebu and Mandaue.

Fire investigator Nilo Cosido said the fire ate up 193 houses made of light materials. Narrow  roads made it difficult for firefighters to enter the area. They had to connect water hoses from about 100 meters from the main road, said Cosido.

A local government employee identified only as  Cynthia spotted a baby crying inside one of the houses that caught fire.

The malnourished baby was turned over to the Mandaue City District Hospital.  No one claimed the baby yet as of 1 p.m. Witnesses told authorities the  fire started at the house of Radencio Ramos.

Another victim, 38-year-old Teresa Mabanoy, was busy washing clothes when she learned about the fire.  She managed to rescue her four children and some clothes after the fire gutted her home.

Another victim, 23-year-old John Chady Sarmiento, said he saw the fire come out of Ramos house.  He said he managed to save his siblings and mother and some belongings.

Ramos’ stepson identified as Charlie said he  and another family member were at the ground floor of their small house when the fire broke out in the second floor but he couldn’t say what caused it.

He said there was no electrical device or appliances upstaris. Property damage was estimated at  P250,000. Roger Paller, public information officer of Mandaue City Hall,  said  234 of the 250 affected families were house owners while 24 were renters.

Paller said the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council will meet today to recommend the declaration of state of calamity in the area.

The City Council will also hold a special session this afternoon to approve it and release  calamity funds. House owners will receive  P10,000 cash assistance while house renters can get 5,000.