Fire hits Kalibo residential area, damage pegged at P2-M

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Fire gutted the houses made mostly of light materials in Bayanihan Road in Barangay Andagao, Kalibo, Aklan on Saturday, April 26. No one was hurt in the fire incident, the Bureau of Fire Protection-Kalibo / PHOTOS BY BOY RYAN ZABAL

At least 13 families lost their homes after a fire hit a thickly residential area in Bayanihan Road in Barangay Andagao in Kalibo, Aklan on Saturday afternoon. 

Five fire trucks from Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Kalibo, New Washington and Balete, fire volunteers and rescuers responded to the scene after receiving a fire call at 2:48 p.m.

Fire Inspector Donnie Torre, chief of BFP Kalibo, said the fire swept a stretch of houses mostly made of light materials, causing the blaze to quickly spread. No one was reported killed or injured in the fire, the BFP Kalibo said.

Torre said the firefighters declared the fire under control more than 30 minutes later at 3:20 p.m. The BFP also estimated P2 million in damages even as investigators look into what caused the fire.

Nonoy (not his real name) was awakened by his wife that the houses of their neighbors were razed by the fire. 

"Gin-pukaw ako, pag-bangon ko nag kasunog eon,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Kalibo mayor William Lachica and some barangays officials also rushed to the site of fire.  

Personnel of Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MDRRMC) have advised the affected families to stay in the evacuation center in Kalibo Magsaysay Park in front of Kalibo town hall.

However, some of the affected families chose to stay in their immediate relatives, the disaster council reported.