By Calvin Cordova
CEBU CITY – At least 25 houses were razed while a man was killed in a fire that was deliberately set by a person who was allegedly high on illegal drugs on Sunday afternoon in Barangay Kasambagan here.
The fire broke out at 3:15 p.m. and was contained at 4:40 p.m. Fire out was declared at 9 p.m., said Fire Officer 2 Emerson Arceo.
A 30-year-old man identified as Guilermo Canabe Jr., 30, was lynched by angry neighbors after he was allegedly caught setting their house on fire.
Police later arrested the man, who owned up setting their house on fire.
In an interview with reporters, Canabe admitted he was high on drugs when he lit a hanger and used it to light a butane-filled canister inside their house.
The butane canister exploded and the fire was quick to spread to other houses.
The man said he was upset at some of his neighbors for accusing him as a police asset.
“I want to ask forgiveness from our neighbors,” said Canabe, who was detained at the Mabolo Police Station.
Kasambagan Barangay Captain Franklyn Ong said the fire displaced 149 families or 529 individuals.
The charred body of a mentally ill man, a certain Leo, was also recovered in a makeshift cell where he was believed to have been locked up by his relatives.
Ong said the barangay will be placed under a state of calamity so that funds will be released to help the fire victims