DAVAO CITY — A few minutes after welcoming the year 2018, at least 50 houses at Barangay Wilfredo Aquino, Agdao here were gutted down by fire past midnight Monday.
Based on initial investigation of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), the fire, which occurred at the corner of Lakatan and Marang streets, Jereza Subdivision in Barangay Wilfredo Aquino started around 12:15 a.m.
Barangay captain Leo Aquino said residents were in the middle of merrymaking when the fire broke out.
“During that time, residents were enjoying their respective parties and according to my purok leader Neneng Guerra, the fire started on the second floor of one of the houses here,” Aquino said.
Despite the prompt response of fire-fighters, houses burned down right away since the structures were made of light materials.
“Firemen immediately responded after 10 minutes of call but the problem was they cannot save the houses because the fire spread right away about 10 minutes,” he said.
BFP Davao City officer-in-charge, Chief Insp. Joycelyn Grant, said the fire originated from the second floor of the house of a certain Flora Rodriguez.
Grant said a witness, identified as Lauro Lim, saw the house of Rodriguez in flames while people were out on the streets to welcome the New Year.
Probers have yet to determine the cause of the blaze.
“Kung sino man ang mananagot, kakasuhan natin (We will file a case once we will identify the suspect),” Grant said.
There was no reported casualty nor injury in the incident. It was declared under control at around 1:02 a.m. (Armando Fenequito Jr/PNA)
