Christmas Eve fire destroys three houses in Tagbilaran

The huge fire, which was reported at around 10 a.m. on Christmas Eve, destroyed three houses in Barangay Cogon in Tagbilarn City. (Photo by LEO UDTOHAN / Inquirer Visayas)

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol — A huge fire destroyed three houses on CPG Avenue, Barangay Cogon in this city on Christmas Eve morning.

Henry Mendoza, 58, an electrician, said he was outside his house slicing pork to be marinated for Monday’s Noche Buena, when he heard a loud explosion on the highway.

“I don’t have idea why the fire broke out. I just heard a loud explosion, which I thought was a road accident along the highway,” he said, speaking in Boholano.

Suddenly flames hit his right arm and face.

“I was surprised that fire hit me. I wondered where it came from. It was a huge fire,”

Mendoza, still nursing burns on his arm and face, said he would have to celebrate Christmas either at a neighbor’ house or at an evacuation center.

He and his boarder were not able to salvage things from his house, and neither did the boarders of the other houses.

Mendoza’s boarder, Michael Villegas, said he also lost his three fighting cocks and a motorcycle.

“It’s unlucky since it’s Christmas Eve,” he said. I was not able to save anything, except for what I’m wearing now and my slippers,” he said.

Fire trucks from neighboring towns assisted in fighting the blaze.

The incident was reported to the Tagbilaran City Fire Station past 10 a.m., and put under control after more than an hour.

The other two houses were owned by people surnamed Parilla and Baylosis.

As of this posting, fire investigators have not determined the cause of the fire. /atm