Fire displaces 161 families in Puerto Princesa City

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY –– Some 161 families were left homeless after a fire ravaged a seaside residential village on Thursday morning in this city.

Chief Inspector Nilo Caabay Jr., city fire marshal of the Bureau of Fire Protection, said no casualty was reported in the fire that engulfed 79 households at Quito district in Barangay Bagong Silang.

Caabay said the fire station received a call at 9:15 a.m. regarding the fire that was spreading fast in the village full of houses mostly made of light materials.

Firefighters found it difficult to access the area of packed houses joined by wooden makeshift bridges.

The incident was reportedly declared fire out at 10:40 a.m.

The cause of the fire was yet to be determined as investigation continues.

Richard Ligad, city information officer, said the homeless families would be temporarily housed in Puerto Princesa Pilot Elementary School amid the enhanced community quarantine.

The city immediately formed an incident team headed by City Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Office chief Earl Timbancaya along with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and was tasked to provide immediate aid and relief to the victims.

About P200,000 worth of damage was initially reported.

LZB