Sun.Star: Davao fire damage P8M; 500 families homeless

Arson investigators have placed at P8 million the damage to property caused by a four-hour fire that burned down 141 houses in Davao City Sunday. Sun-Star Davao (www.sunstar.com.ph) reported Tuesday that the incident in the inner city settlement area at Barangay 31-D in Piapi district also rendered some 500 families homeless. Fire Officer 1 Jan Baja of the Davao City Fire Office said at least one resident was hurt, although he sustained slight injuries only and is out of danger. The fire easily spread since houses were made of light materials and are closely built making it difficult for firefighters to control the fire. Baja said the fire was already placed under control at around 8:45 p.m. but was totally put out at around 11 p.m. Investigation is still ongoing, but the victims claimed a gas lamp inside the house of one Benita Perano was the cause of the fire. Jimenez confirmed that the fire started from the house of Perano but so far declined to confirm if it was the lamp that caused it. Two huge fires have razed the city’s informal settlers’ abode this month. The first fire took place last May 5, where 122 houses were razed in a Muslim village in Ilang, Tibungco district. - GMANews.TV