Fire destroys school, mayor’s house in Negros Occidental

A big fire along Ylagan Street in San Carlos City of Negros Occidental at 3 p.m. on Friday, June 14, 2024, razes a school and the houses of Mayor Renato Gustilo and that of his late grandfather, Simplicio Ongbontic. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE SAN CARLOS CITY DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT OFFICE

BACOLOD CITY — A fire destroyed a school and the houses of Mayor Renato Gustilo and his grandfather on Ylagan Street, San Carlos City in Negros Occidental at about 3 p.m. on Friday, June 14.

Gustilo, who was in Manila on business when the fire broke out, said in a phone interview late Friday that it started from the Daisy’s ABC School Foundation at Ylagan Street and spread to the nearby compound where his ancestral home and the house of his late grandfather were located.

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The mayor said his 31-year-old daughter who had a fever saw that the school was on fire and called for help, as the blaze was heading to their house. His daughter and other members of his household were able to escape unharmed before the fire burned down his house and that of his late grandfather, Simplicio Ongbontic, Gustilo said.

The fire was put out sometime at 6:12 p.m., according to the city’s disaster risk reduction and management office.

Gustilo, 64, was heartbroken by the loss, as his house was built even before he was born and held many memories of his childhood.

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“Everything was destroyed,” he rued.

According to the mayor, he will have to figure out where he and his family will live when he gets back to San Carlos.

“At least I still had some clothes in his suitcase,” Gustilo said.