Cebu fire destroys at least 500 homes

CEBU CITY — At least 500 houses were destroyed in a fire that affected two densely populated villages in Mandaue City past 1 a.m. on Saturday.

The blaze, which started in Zone 3, Barangay (village) Mantuyong and spread to Sitio Sta. Cruz in Barangay Guizo, was considered the biggest fire to hit Mandaue since 2007 and the third in March alone, said SFO1 Cipriano Codilla, Mandaue fire investigator.

The fire started from the house of Robinson Aljun, 53, who said a stray cat may have knocked down a lighted kerosene lamp while they were eating outside and triggered the fire at1:45 a.m.

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The blaze quickly spread to nearby houses which were made of light materials and affected the nearby Sitio Sta. Cruz in Barangay Guizo.

Codilla said the fire was so big that they had to ask help from fire departments in nearby cities and municipalities.

It took fire fighters three hours to put the fire under control since they had difficulty penetrating the area due to its narrow roads. CDG

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