Around 125 families were displaced while 75 houses were razed to the ground in separate fire incidents in Mandaue City and Cebu City.

In Mandaue City, more than 300 residents were displaced after a fire hit a residential area in Sitio Admacor, Barangay Maguikay.

The fire reportedly spread quickly as most of the houses affected were made of light materials.

Fire trucks surrounded the area while residents passed buckets of water to help put out the fire.

Barangay officials said firefighting efforts were challenging because of the area’s limited access and resources.

“Usa sa challenge namo adto, kung unsa ka strategic ang lugar, limited ang resources namo mao to nakadako gyud. Nagpasa pasa balde para magtinabangay, oo. Spource sa tubig, kanal? Didto sawod sa kanal nalang,” Barangay Councilman Mark Joseph Ceniza said.

“Init kaayo, wa gyuy uwan uwan diri. Dali ra kaayo nakakatag ang kayo,” Barangay Councilman Yance Menchavez added.

The residents affected are taking shelter temporarily at the Maguikay Elementary School.

CEBU CITY FIRE

In neighboring Cebu City, at least 75 houses were razed to the ground after a fire hit Sitio Silangan, Barangay Tejero, Cebu City.

Based on initial report, 65 houses were destroyed while 10 others were damaged.

Authorities raised the fire to third alarm before it was put out around midnight on Sunday, May 17, 2026.

Residents said the same area was hit by a fire in 2019.

“Mga seven years na, April pod to mao, sab hinungdan. Di nako kapanghakot kay ang hangin kusog kaayo… pagtan-aw nako diha, di na matabang,” one of the residents affected, Ruby Ana Endonila, said.

“Ang sunog nagsugod kuno didto, walay nakabantay. Diha nalang sila nisiyagit nga dako na ang kayo ba… mao to, wa na gyud matabang,” another resident affected, Danny Sepuasca, added.

The families displaced have taken shelter at different evacuation sites, including the Tejero Gymnasium, which has been housing survivors of a fire in January 2026.

“We are in the process of inviting possible witnesses para pangayoan nato og katin-awan but, as of now, ang na-istorya nato ang investigator on case,” Cebu City Fire Station Spokesperson, SFO3 Wendell Villanueva, said.

Investigation was supposed to be conducted alongside the clearing of debris from the house where the fire started. However, authorities encountered difficulties because there were electrical wires missing.

“Dunay nakita nga posible nga problema gamay kay, mao lagi nga electrical wirings, no, nasunog, nahurot og kawala. Maglisod ta og subay unsa hinungdan sa sunog apan bisan pa niana, padayon ang ato mga investigators panguykoy og dugang possible evidence,” Villanueva added

FIREFIGHTER LAUDED

Amid the chaos in the fire in Mindanao, a volunteer firefighter was lauded online after rescuing a cat trapped behind dangling wires.

“If nakita sa video, naay dangling wires atubangan nako, uban live pa. Kadto ang wire nag-ali sa iring. Maayo nalang naay nakatunol og bolt cutter nakuha ang iring nga safe,” the firefighter, Joseph Torregosa, said.

Torregosa, a 21-year-old college student and member of the NARF Brigade, said saving lives and properties, including animals, is the core mission of firefighters.

“Dili lalim amo trabaho. Malipayon ko ila gi-extend ila pasalamat nga na-rescue ang iring, which is labing importante motto namo firefighters to save lives and properties. All lives matter gyud,” he said.