CEBU CITY – Close to 200 families were rendered homeless in a fire that hit a highly populated area in Barangay Sambag 2 here on Monday afternoon, April 8.

A FIRE hits Barangay Sambag 2, Cebu City on Monday afternoon, April 8. (Screenshot from Facebook live of Win Rañada Ramos)
The fire that affected three sitios, Kalubihan, Grupa, and Riverside, and started shortly before 4 p.m. razed 88 houses and damaged four others.
The Public Information Office here reported that 177 families or 651 individuals were displaced by the fire.
Initial damage to property was pegged by the Cebu City Fire Office at P7.5 million.
The fire, which spread quickly as houses were built close to each other, was raised to fourth alarm at 5:01 p.m. The fire was placed under control at 7:22 p.m. and declared fire out at 10:16 p.m.
No fatality was reported in the fire but two residents were attended to by emergency responders for difficulty in breathing.
Initial investigation showed that an overheated air-conditioning unit may have caused the fire.
Fire victims took temporary shelter at the Cebu City Central School.
The city government has distributed food packs and other relief items to fire victims.
Firefighters had difficulty reaching the area due to narrow roads.
Mayor Michael Rama here has ordered a re-blocking to widen the roads in the area.