20 houses destroyed, 144 people displaced by Cebu city fire

CEBU City, Philippines—Over 140 persons, mostly students of Southwestern University (SWU), were displaced and an estimated P2 million in property was destroyed when fire broke out at a boarding house here early Monday.

Senior Fire Officer 3 Jimmy Layao of the Cebu City Fire Department said the fire, which broke out around 2:40 a.m. in the boarding house owned by Rosie Lambo Barrientos, 61, on Ugello street, razed 20 houses and partially damaged four others.

The fire also spread to the nearby SWU, destroying at least six rooms on the second and third floors of the Maria Guerrero Building ( SWU Biology Department), since the school’s firewall did not reach these levels.

Student Lorie Lucban, a tenant on the second floor of the boarding house, recalled that she heard an explosion emanating from the wall-mounted electric fan and then saw flames on the wall and the ceiling.

Layao theorized that the fan had overheated but clarified that the cause of the fire was still being investigated.

He said the fire quickly spread to the other houses, which were made of light and concrete materials.

The damage to the school building, he said, was minimal because the two levels only housed classrooms; the fire spared the ground level where the laboratory rooms were located.

Jason Paragele of the SWU Graduate School Department said the school suspended classes for the biology department and that the rest of departments continued with their regular classes. Monday was the first day of classes for school year 2011-12.

Layao said the residential area gutted by fire was overly congested, but the firemen managed to contain the fire after 35 minutes because there were enough access roads.

The fire, which was raised to third alarm, was put out at 6:38 a.m.

Layao said a resident named Boboy Gacasan sustained minor burns and was treated in a hospital.

Cathy Yso, head of the Cebu City Department of Social Welfare and Services, said 144 individuals, mostly students who are just renters, were affected by the fire.

Yso said the students, however, looked for other boarding houses, leaving only the affected residents to stay within the vicinity where tents are used as temporary shelters.

Yso said the city government would provide food assistance for he fire victims starting Monday noon as well as construction materials and other goods.