DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 01 January) – Two fire incidents on New Year’s eve and on the second hour of 2024 destroyed 18 houses and a commercial building in Matina and Calinan. No one was reported injured.
Senior Fire Officer 4 Ramil Gillado, Davao City Fire District spokesperson, told MindaNews that the first fire occurred at 12:43 p.m. on December 31 in San Francisco Village in Barangay Matina Crossing and the second at 1:30 a.m. on January 1 at Purok 33, Ramon Magsaysay Street in Barangay Calinan.
Gillado said the fire in Matina Crossing started from the house of 65-year-old Renier E. Neri and razed 13 houses and partially destroyed five.
He said three trucks of Talomo Fire Station were immediately dispatched upon receiving information about the fire that was traced to unattended cooking using firewood.
The fire was put under control at 1:12 p.m. and fire out was declared at 2:44 p.m., Gillado said.
He said the affected houses were made of light materials. Estimated cost of damages is P280,000, Gillado adde.d
In the early hours of New Year’s Day, fire razed three houses and a commercial building in Barangay Calinan. Two houses were partially damaged, he said.
Capt. Hazel Tuazon, spokesperson for Davao City Police Office (DCPO), said the fire started from the residence of Janet Rosales Miculob who noticed smoke emanating from her room and quickly spreading to adjacent houses.
She said the firemen from the Bureau of Fire Protection-Davao City are still conducting an investigation.
Damage was estimated at P662,000.00. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
