Fire destroys 50 houses in Cebu City; lack of access slowed firefighting

Fire hitting houses. (CDN FILE PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

CEBU CITY — Lack of access prevented firefighters from immediately putting out an early evening fire that burned at least 50 houses in Barangays (villages) Capitol Site and Guadalupe in Cebu City on Tuesday.

The fire reported at  6:46 p.m. was placed under Task Force Alpha to solicit the help of firefighters from neighboring local government units.

It took firefighters about two hours to put out the fire.

Firefighters had to connect their hoses to reach the fire site located close to the Guadalupe riverbank.  The area does not have an access road and could only be reached by foot.

SFO3 Pier Angelo Abellana said the fire started from a spark on the main electric switch located inside the residence of  Daisy Talaogon.

Scared of the spark, Talaogon told fire investigators that she immediately fled her home.

The fire later spread to nearby structures, mostly made from light materials and built across the street from the Capitol Site barangay hall.

Some structures built on the other side of the river, in Barangay Guadalupe, also caught fire.

Fire fighters from the City Fire Department and barangay fire brigades responded to the alarm but they had difficulty penetrating the area.

Fire trucks occupied Villalon Drive located in front of the barangay hall and connected their hoses to reach the fire site located on a downhill portion of Barangay Capitol Site close to the Guadalupe River.

Vehicular traffic was diverted to the nearby Kalunsan road that provided access to Sitio Sudlon in Barangay Lahug.

Capitol Site Barangay chairman Manuel Guanzon said fire victims would be temporarily accommodated at their sports complex.  SFM