By Ernie Esconde/PNA
ORION, Bataan — Fire razed hundreds of houses, affecting more than 800 families in a fishing village here Tuesday morning.
Barangay Capunitan chairman Ernesto Delona said initial reports indicated that children playing with a match caused the fire that started at 9 a.m. He added, however, that they are still waiting for the official report of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).
Delona said no one was hurt in the blaze that was put under control past noontime.
“Our assessment is ongoing. What is important is that the fire was already contained. We called all the firefighters in Bataan. The big fire was so frightening,” the village head said.
Firetrucks that responded to the scene came from 11 towns and one city in Bataan. One or two came from the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.
Delona said the affected families were evacuated to the Capunitan Elementary School.
Most of the burned houses located in Sitio Depensa, a fishing area in the barangay, were made of bamboo and other light materials, the village chief said.
Nenita Franola, one of the victims, could only look helplessly at her burning house from a distance.
“Wala kaming gamit na naisalba. Inuna ko anak ko (We were not able to save things. I prioritized my child),” she said.
