DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 23 August) – A fire that hit Purok 6A and Purok 6B, Pag-asa Bankerohan, Barangay 5-A here on Friday morning left 60 houses totally destroyed and 11 partially damaged, a police official said.
In a report released by the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), Capt. Hazel Tuazon, spokesperson for the city police, said that as of 1:00 p.m., there were around 150 families or 512 persons affected by the incident who are now taking shelter at the barangay gymnasium.
An initial report released by DCPO at 10:24 a.m. stated that there were around 200 houses destroyed by the fire.
She said that investigators have yet to determine how the fire started.
But based on initial investigation, some witnesses testified the fire might have started between the houses of neighbors Alameda Jutoy and Annabel Cadollo, she said.
The fire started at 8:18 a.m. and was put under control at 9:01 a.m. or nearly an hour later. It was declared fire out at 11:54 a.m.
In a phone interview, Fire Officer 1 Eunelle June U. Mabale, fire investigator at the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Davao C.B. Bangoy Sr. Fire Sub-Station, said the investigation is still ongoing to determine the cause of fire and the estimated cost of damages.
He noted though that most of the houses destroyed were made of light materials.
Mabale said that no one was reported injured from the fire incident.
The City Government of Davao announced that teams from the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, City Social Welfare and Development Office, City Health Office, and other frontline agencies have set up temporary shelters for the fire-affected residents.
It said that quick response teams were also deployed to attend to their needs. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)