Fire displaces 77 families in Puerto Princesa

Seventy-seven households are now displaced after fire spread to several homes in Puerto Princesa’s two barangays on Wednesday, July 22.

The city fire station responded to the fire after a call from a nearby security guard was received around 2:00 pm yesterday.

According to F03 Mark Anthony Llacuna, investigator, it took them around five minutes to arrive and when they did, they faced trouble on finding an access road as to where the fire trucks could be parked.

“Naka-receive kami ng tawag around 2:35 pm at ang caller natin ay isang security guard sa katabing establishment. Kaagad namang nag-dispatch ng mga fire engines and then mga five minutes pagdating naming doon, na-observe namin na talagang walang access ‘yung mga fire trucks doon mismo sa nasusunog,” Llacuna said.

According to him, the fire lasted for more than two hours though they declared that it was already controlled by fire fighters, residents and volunteers around 3:00 pm.

“Dalawang oras itinagal ng sunog at limang minuto pero 3:10 pm pa lang po, na-declare na kami na control na,” Llacuna said.

He also said that most of the homes were made of light and semi-concrete materials.

Llacuna said the displaced household totaled into seventy-seven, seventy-three of these household was totally damaged and four are considered as partially-damaged.

Eleven of these household came from Barangay Maunlad and sixty-six of it were located in Barangay Bagong Sikat.

He said that fortunately there were no recorded casualties or injured.

Llacuna said that they already identified where the fire started and as of press time, the City Fire Office is looking up on electrical faulty wiring as the reason why the fire started.

“Na-identify na kung saang bahay nagsimula ang sunog. Base sa statement ng mga nainterview natin doon, hindi lahat may sariling linya, marami ‘yung naka-tap lang, wala silang sariling kuntador. Ibig sabihin nakiki-share lang sila, electrical overload,” Llacuna said.

He also said that the incident resembles the fire in Bagong Silang recently which also displaced eighty households in total.

Llacuna reminded the public to check their wirings and consult electricians if needed.

”Yung mga tahanan dapat ma-require na i-check ang mga wiring at iwasan ang mag-tap lang kasi ‘yan ang nagko-cause ng electrical overload,” Llacuna said.