Family survives fence collapse

AN elderly couple, their daughter and their 3-year-old grandson were injured after a concrete fence collapsed due to heavy rains in sitio Granada, barangay Quiot, Cebu City at 5:45 p.m. yesterday.

At least five houses situated in a slope in San Carlos Heights were destroyed under the weight of the collapsed fence.

Three houses were destroyed and two houses were damaged, said PO2 Renato Berido of the Punta Princesa police.

The houses that were lined adjacent to each other were owned by Rufino Grape, 64; Claudio Bito-on, 54; Enrique Tabanas, 54; Jimmy Beltran, 65; and Fernando Barbadillo.

Rufino and his 63-year-old wife Lucia, his 30-year-old daughter Agnes and three-year-old grandson Fresco Gipatalagan are recuperating in the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).

The victims were watching TV inside their two-story house made of light materials when they heard a loud rumble from the back of their house.

The house is situated two meters away from the concrete fence.

There was a heavy downpour at the time. Police said the survivors sustained injuries after the fence landed on top of their house.

The victims were helped by their neighbors and were rushed to the hospital.

The ground floor of Rufino’s house was destroyed while Beltran and Barbadillo’s house were damaged, Berido said.

The police officer said waist-deep water entered their houses.

As of 9:30 p.m. the affected families were still recovering their belongings from their houses, Berido said.

The families are still waiting on the advice of their barangay officials on where they can temporarily stay. Reporter Rhea Ruth V. Rosell