CEBU CITY – Close to 200 houses were destroyed in two big fires that hit this city on Saturday night, January 6.
At least 60 houses were razed and six others were damaged in the fire in Barangay Carreta that broke out at past 9 p.m.

A MAN recovers a mattress from his house razed in a fire in Sitio Kanipaan Jansen, Barangay San Nicolas, Cebu City on Saturday, January 6. (Juan Carlo de Vela)
The fire reached third alarm before it was totally put out at 10:58 p.m., said Senior Fire Office 2 Wendell Villanueva, information officer of the Cebu City Fire Office.
Damage to property was pegged at P4.5 million and 90 families composed of 400 individuals were displaced by the fire.
The second blaze broke out in Barangay Basak Pardo less than an hour after the fire in Barangay Carreta was put out.
The fire also reached third alarm before fire out was declared at 3:55 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 7.
Ninety houses were razed and damage to property was pegged at P5.2 million.
One-hundred twenty families composed of 420 individuals were affected by the fire.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development-Central Visayas (DSWD-7) has distributed hot meals and water to affected families.
The city government has also distributed relief goods to fire victims who temporarily sought refuge shelters in evacuation centers.