A FIRE reportedly caused by a firecracker razed at least 20 houses on Cabantan St., Sitio San Roque, Barangay Luz, Cebu City last Sunday.

Three people, including two firefighters, suffered minor injuries in the blaze that broke out at 8:08 p.m.

The injured were identified as Ann Rodis, 22, SFO1 Jovito Abelgas and FO3 Felipe Miñoza. Rodis had a cut in the left leg.

The firemen suffered cuts in their fingers when they tried to remove galvanized iron sheets from a house.

Damage to property was estimated at P280,000.

Cebu City Councilor Gerardo Carillo will request Ayala Property Ventures Inc. to provide a gate in the concrete wall separating the Cebu Business Park from Barangay Luz residents for better access to Sitio San Roque.

He said that rescuers and firefighters had a hard time penetrating the area, which was in an interior portion of the barangay, because of the lack of access roads.

“It was observed that if there was a gate, vehicles and people can pass. It would have been easier for fire trucks and emergency personnel to get in,” he said.

Food packs

City Hall provided food packs to the affected residents.

Cebu City north district Rep. Raul del Mar also said he is giving P1,000 in financial assistance to homeowners this week.

Part of Barangay Luz is owned by the Provincial Government.

When asked if Capitol will allow the residents to rebuild their houses, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia just said, “Na-issue-han na diay sila og building permit (Have they been issued a building permit)?”

The Cebu City Council has passed a resolution authorizing Mayor Tomas Osmeña to sign a memorandum of agreement with Garcia to swap Cebu City lots with those owned by the Province but are occupied by Cebu City residents.

Garcia has said she will look into the deal again.

SFO1 Frank Donozo, who is handling the investigation, said the fire started in the house of Ben Ancajas.

Anabel Bolotano, a resident in the area, told Donozo she heard an explosion similar to that of a firecracker before the blaze.

Fanned by strong winds, the fire spread to the other houses.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Cebu City received the call for assistance and placed the fire at third alarm status.

The fire was placed under control 18 minutes later. At 9:44 p.m., the fire was extinguished.

BFP Cebu City chief investigator Allan Arciaga said the fire was the first for this month.

Councilor Carillo said he will recommend declaring Sitio San Roque under a state of calamity so the City Government can tap its calamity funds.

Another week

However, this move might have to wait another week because the City Council has no session this week. Using the calamity funds needs council authority.

In a telephone interview last night, Luz Barangay Councilor Nida Cabrera said they need the declaration for the barangay to also tap its own calamity funds.

Carillo said he will ask Vice Mayor Michael Rama and colleagues that they hold a special session within the week for the declaration.

Cabrera appealed for help, saying the victims are in dire need of clothes because they failed to save any belongings as the fire spread quickly.

The victims are temporarily sheltered in a nearby chapel and at the barangay hall’s third floor.