FIRE AFTERMATH. Fire probers are still determining the cause of the fire that destroyed at least PHP1.8 million worth of properties in two houses in Barangay Poblacion, Sto. Niño, South Cotabato on Thursday (March 3, 2022). The fire was the first in the province amid the observance of Fire Prevention Month this March. (Photo courtesy of 94.7 Density News FM)
KORONADAL CITY – Firefighters are still investigating the cause of the blaze that razed at least PHP1.8 million worth of properties in two houses in Barangay Poblacion, Sto. Niño, South Cotabato on Thursday morning.
Senior Fire Officer (SFO)4 Josiah Delmo, Sto. Niño OIC Fire Marshall said they responded to the fire at around 6 a.m. and declared fire out at around 7 a.m.
Delmo said the fire, allegedly triggered by combustible materials, started at the house of Rey Harriet Regua spread quickly.
“We found out that the back portion of the house was stocked with firewood and ‘ukay-ukay’ (second-hand clothing),” Delmo said in an interview.
He said when they were informed of the incident, the fire was already big and engulfed the big portion of Requa’s house.
“They saved nothing in the fire,” Delmo said.
The house of Alfredo Estares, Regua’s neighbor, which was partially damaged by the fire was saved by the firewall that divided them.
“Based on our initial estimate the fire destroyed at least PHP1.7 million worth of properties in Regua’s house and PHP90,000 in Estares’ house,” the fire official said.
To prevent the fire from spreading in the adjacent public market, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) of Sto. Niño town asked for the assistance of firefighters in the nearby municipality of Norala.
“The Norala BFP sent two firetrucks to help us contain the fire,” Delmo said.
Thursday’s fire incident is the first fire in the municipality of Sto. Niño since November last year, and also first in South Cotabato province during the Fire Prevention Month celebration this March. (PNA)
