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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Luzon devider Fire razes Batac public market, displaces 200 stall owners

Fire razes Batac public market, displaces 200 stall owners

Published Jul 6, 2026 12:21 pm
ILOCOS Norte Gov. Cecilia Marcos and Mayor Markee Chua look on as fire razes the public market in Batac City, Ilocos Norte on Sunday, July 5. (Gov. Marcos FB)
ILOCOS Norte Gov. Cecilia Marcos and Mayor Markee Chua look on as fire razes the public market in Batac City, Ilocos Norte on Sunday, July 5. (Gov. Marcos FB)
BATAC CITY – A fire gutted this city’s public market on Sunday evening, destroying several stalls and leaving many vendors counting their losses.
Authorities declared the fire out at 6 a.m. on Monday and have begun assessing the extent of the damage as investigations continue to determine the cause of the blaze.
Fire Insp. Heinrich Gudoy, Fire Marshal of the Bureau of Fire Protection, said in an interview that the fire started on the second floor of the public market, specifically in its carinderia or food section.
The fire was reported via 911 around 9:07 p.m. The BFP said about 27 firetrucks from various parts of Ilocos Norte responded and helped put out the fire that lasted for more than an hour before it was declared under control at 10:18 p.m.
The blaze destroyed the entire main building of the Batac public market, affecting about 200 stall owners. No injuries or casualties were reported.
In a separate interview early Monday, Batac City Mayor Mark Christian Chua, who has been closely monitoring the situation since last night, said affected vendors would temporarily occupy the newly established Bagsakan Center located near the market to help them recover and resume their livelihoods.
The city government and members of the City Council are considering the declaration of a state of calamity to exhaust all available government resources to speed up recovery of the affected stall owners.
"To our affected vendors, the city government of Batac stands with you in this difficult time. We are now assessing the extent of the damage and mobilizing all available resources to provide the necessary assistance and support,” Chua said in a statement on Monday.
He appealed to the public to avoid the public market area as the smoke may still be harmful to health.
“We will immediately begin clearing and cleaning operations once we receive the go signal from the BFP,” he added.
While trying to save what was left by the fire, affected vendors appealed for continued assistance to help them rebuild their businesses and recover from the losses.
Authorities urged the public to remain vigilant and observe fire safety measures in markets and commercial establishments. (PNA)

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