200 pigs roasted in 1 of 2 fires in Cebu

CEBU CITY—Two fires, one caused by a water heater used to boil an egg and the other killing at least 200 pigs, struck this city and Talisay City on Monday and Tuesday, according to authorities.

Tuesday’s fire in Talisay City, according to SFO1 Cesar dela Serna, gutted the warehouse owned by businessman Maximo Lisondra Jr. in Barangay Biasong.

At least 200 pigs were roasted in the Talisay City fire, said Dela Serna. The fire left an estimated P700,000 in damages, not including the value of the pigs.

Lisondra’s warehouse used to be a rattan factory but when it ceased operations the businessman converted half of the facility into a piggery, said Dela Serna.

When the fire broke out past 5 a.m. Tuesday, four of Lisondra’s workers saved at least 10 pigs, said the fire official.

The workers were sleeping in an unfinished building inside the compound, where the warehouse was located, when the fire struck. Dela Serna said the fire had engulfed the warehouse when the workers were roused from their sleep.

Dela Serna said Lisondra had planned to harvest 80 of the pigs on Tuesday.

Dela Serna said the fire started at the stockroom of the former rattan factory and spread to the whole building. The house where caretakers stayed was also damaged by the fire.

Dela Serna said police were investigating what caused the fire, but believed it could have been electricity misuse. He didn’t elaborate.

He said Lisondra was still in a state of shock and couldn’t issue a statement to investigators. Dela Serna, however, said Lisondra was grief-stricken because he lost so much in the piggery.

On Monday, another fire hit Barangay Punta Princesa in this city which authorities said was caused by an electric water heater left plugged into an outlet.

SFO3 Fortuna Frusia, Cebu City fire investigator, said Josephino Treyes, 72, fell asleep while boiling an egg using a water heater.

When he woke up past 7 p.m., the water heater and part of his house in Sitio Calawisan were on fire.

Treyes, who was alone, tried to put out the fire but he slipped while doing so. He suffered bruises and minor burns. Only Treyes’ house was destroyed. With a report from Edison delos Angeles