Tabuk church destroyed by fire on Christmas Day

A Christmas morning fire razed the St. Joseph Church in Tabuk City, Kalinga province after midnight Mass, but no one was reported hurt, the police said on Monday.

The 2 a.m. fire that gutted the Catholic Church there may have been triggered by faulty wiring. The Tabuk Vicariate had not released a statement at press time. The police have yet to release further details about the blaze.

Kalinga is the northernmost province of the Cordillera Administrative Region, and has become notable for its rich ricelands, its white water rafting, and lately, its indigenous tattoo artists. A bus ride to Tabuk from Manila may take 12 to 13 hours.