By Noel Punzalan/PNA
KIDAPAWAN CITY – An estimated PHP5-million worth of oil palm trees were destroyed when a fire hit an oil palm plantation in Arakan, North Cotabato on Thursday afternoon.
Quoting witnesses, Senior Fire Officer Ronald Valle, spokesperson of the Bureau of Fire Protection in Arakan, said the fire started at about noontime but was only relayed to them at past 4 p.m.
“Responding firefighters put off the blaze some two hours later,” Valle said Friday.
The oil palm plantation, situated in Barangay Gambodes, is about 10 km. away from the town proper. It is owned by a trader from Matalam, North Cotabato, and is located at the tri-borders of Arakan, North Cotabato; Quezon, Bukidnon; and Marilog district in Davao City.
Valle said initial investigation indicated that a person was seen setting fire to dried bushes that went out of control, leading to the conflagration.
