AT LEAST 87 families from Zone Ahos in Barangay Paknaan, Mandaue City, are temporarily staying in the village's gym after a fire broke out past 2 a.m. Wednesday, August 23.
The Mandaue City Fire Station (MCFS) received the alarm at 2:05 a.m. in Zone Ahos, particularly in the 6.5-hectare relocation site of the City Government.
No one died, but the City Health Office reported that six persons suffered puncture wounds and burns during the fire.
SFO1 Socrates Jude Nacua, the fire investigator, said the fire started at the house of Estela Abad. He, however, said that the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The fire was contained after 34 minutes; fire out was recorded at 3:07 a.m.
Damage to properties was pegged at P490,000.
A neighbor said that four male teens were seen getting out of Abad’s house before the fire broke out.
On Aug. 30, 2016, Abad’s husband, Jerome, and his son, Junmar, were killed in a buy-bust conducted by the Mandaue City Police Office-City Intelligence Branch. Jerome was listed in the MCPO’s drug watchlist.
The displaced families were temporarily sheltered in the barangay gym.
Of the 87 families, 18 of them were identified as renters, while the rest were houseowners.
City Social Welfare and Services Office head Jessie Perez said they will provide meals to the families for three days and cater their other needs.
Paknaan Barangay Captain Malaquias Soco said the barangay council will convene if there is a need to declare the area under a state of calamity. (FMG)