CEBU CITY – Fifty houses were destroyed in a fire in Barangay Lahug here on Thursday night, Feb. 27.
FIFTY houses were destroyed by a fire in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City on Thursday night, Feb. 28. (Calvin D. Cordova)
Firefighters from the cities of Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, and Talisay responded to the fire that started at 6:57 p.m. and put out at 9:41 p.m.
Senior Fire Officer 3 Wendel Villanueva, information officer of the Cebu City Fire Station, said the fire started from a lighted candle at the house of Edwin Escandallo.
Villanueva said it was not the first time that the house of Escandallo caught fire.
“The house also caught fire in the past and a lighted candle was also the cause. Fortunately, in the first incident the fire was put out immediately by the residents,” said Villanueva.
Villanueva added that Escandallo had to use candles after his power supply was cut.
Damage to property was placed at P1.2 million.
Seventy families composed of 280 individuals were displaced by the fire and temporarily staying at the barangay gym for shelter.