BACOLOD CITY – At least 86 families were affected by fire that totally destroyed 43 houses and damaged 15 others, including the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) station at Zone 2, Barangay 6, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental on Tuesday, August 31.
Chief Inspector Vencie Jojo Aldeguer, city fire marshal, said the fire broke out at around 11:01 a.m. from the house of an alleged mentally-challenged male resident.
Because the area was considered to be an informal settlement, the fire immediately spread to other houses which were mostly made of light materials.
Aldeguer said the fire damaged partly the windows of the PCG station.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) declared fire out around 12:53 p.m., with no injuries reported.
Aldeguer said they could not yet establish the cause of fire as investigation is ongoing.
The BFP reported an estimated P540,000 worth of damage.
Meanwhile, Joe Recalex Alingasa Jr., head of City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), said that most of the affected families were temporarily sheltered at the evacuation center in Barangay 2, while others were housed at the covered court and gymnasium in Barangay 6.
Assistance was already provided to the fire victims.