CEBU CITY — A huge fire displaced hundreds of residents in Barangay Labangon here on Monday dawn.
The fire broke out in Sitio Labsalex at 2:39 a.m. and was put out at 4:13 a.m.
Property damage was pegged at P1.5 million as 80 houses were destroyed, the Cebu City Fire Department said.
City Councilor Dave Tumulak said 113 families or 460 individuals were displaced by the fire.
The Don Sergio Osmeña National High School was utilized as evacuation center of the fire victims.
Aside from food, there will also be doctors who will check the fire victims’ situation at the evacuation center, said Tumulak.
Fire investigators said that the fire started in a house owned by one Richard Tagadi-ad, who is reportedly a policeman who had gone absent without official leave.
Senior Fire Officer 1 (SFO1) Novo Erana of the Cebu City Fire Office an unattended candle may have caused the fire.
There were reports that Tagadi-ad was mauled by some residents who accused of purposely setting his house on fire.
A bruised Tagadi-ad was later turned over to the police.