110 houses burn in Mandaue

An unattended candle used during a brownout caused a fire that burned down at least 110 houses in barangay Umapad in Mandaue City last night.

The Mandaue City Fire Department  received the  alarm at 8:50 p.m and put out the fire at 10:05 p.m.

SF01 Cipriano Codilla  estimated property damage at  P1.1 million.

He said the fire allegedlly started in the house of Antonieto and Myrna Calledo where an unattended candle fell on the floor.

There was brownout about  7 p.m in the area at the time, Codilla said.

Codilla said the fire spread quickly  as most of the houses in the neighborhood were made of light materials.

Workers of the social welfare office of Mandaue City went to the area to attend to  needs of the fire victims.

For now, most of the victims  are temporarily staying in Pajara Park, near the Mandaue City side of the Marcelo Fernan Bridge.

Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes, who went to the fire scene with some staffers assured that the city government would provide relief goods and help them recover from the calamity. Correspondent Norman M. Mendoza