CEBU CITY – More than 1,350 families were displaced in a fire that hit Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu on Tuesday, December 12.
A FIRE hits Barangay Pusok, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu on Tuesday, December 12. (Contributed photo by Nagiel Bañacia)
Around 600 houses were razed in the fire that fire broke out around 1 p.m. in Purok Santa Maria, Barangay Pusok.
Nagiel Bañacia, chief of the Lapu-Lapu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said 1,354 families
were displaced by the fire as of 1 a.m. on Wednesday, December 13, and damage to property was pegged at P3.1 million.
The cause of the fire is still being investigated, he said.
Lapu-Lapu Mayor Junard Chan said the fire in Purok Santa Maria could be the biggest to hit the city.
The fire spread quickly to neighboring sitios since most of the houses were made of light materials. The fire was contained at past 4 p.m.
Chan said the city government will provide immediate assistance to fire victims.
He said that City Hall will cancel its Christmas party to enable them to use the budget for the occassion to help the fire victims.
The blaze in Barangay Pusok happened a day after four persons died in a fire that destroyed a firecracker factory in Barangay Baranwas, Lapu-Lapu City.
The victims perished after they were trapped in the burning edifice.
Fatalities were identified as factory owner Chito Berdon, his 31-year-old daughter Gwendolyn, and their workers Kristian Monsanto, 34, and Argie Escobia, 30.
Six persons were injured in the fire that started past 1 p.m. and put out at 3:35 p.m. Cause of the fire is yet to be determined.