12 houses razed, volunteer injured in Cebu City fire

Fireman train their hose to a burning house in Sitio Baka, Barangay Apas in Cebu City. Lito Tecson, CDN photo

CEBU CITY—Twelve houses were destroyed while a volunteer was wounded on Tuesday morning when a fire hit a densely populated area in Sitio Baca, Barangay Apas, Cebu City.

Wounded was Emmanuel Waneya who suffered multiple laceration on the right hand and a first degree burn on the right leg, said Cebu City Fire Marshal Noel Nelson Ababon.

Waneya is a village volunteer who got hurt when he tried to put out the fire using an extinguisher, he added.

Ababon said they had yet to determine the cause of the fire that started from the house of the Almasas about 8:30 a.m.

According to SFO3 Agapito Bolotano, he saw the electric cap outside the house of the Almasas spark before the fire broke out.

Bolotano lived across the Almasas’ residence.

To allow firetrucks unhampered access to the fire scene, a portion of Gov. Mariano Cuenco Avenue in Barangay Banilad was closed to traffic, specifically the road in front of Gaisano Country Mall.

But it created a gridlock since Gov. Mariano Cuenco is part of the northern Banilad-Talamban corridor, which is among the busiest roads in Cebu City.

The traffic also reached nearby Mandaue City after some vehicles were diverted from the Banilad area.

Apas Barangay Captain Ramil Ayuman said the fire victims were evacuated to the nearby barangay basketball.