Mar Roxas visits Kalibo fire victims

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas assured the victims’ families of Kalibo fire incident of government’s help.

A day after tragedy, Roxas visited C. Laserna area in Barangay Poblacion and Aklan Trade Hall evacuation center in Capitol Site to initially distribute relief goods to fire victims.

Several fire victims gathered in the fire zone to meet Roxas and local officials on Saturday afternoon, many of them calling for immediate assistance to rebuild their houses.

On June 12, seven houses were partially damaged and 99 houses were totally burned to the ground in Purok 2 in C. Laserna area. Some 500 people were also rendered homeless in one of Kalibo’s fire-prone areas. 

The fire started at 4:30 p.m. and lasted until 5:20 p.m. Fire trucks from BFP-Kalibo, Altavas, Numancia, New Washington and Balete and volunteers responded to fire call. 

Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Kalibo Fire Inspector Donnie Torre said faulty electrical connections in one of the houses caused the blaze.

 

“It is not advisable to use octopus connections to prevent electrical circuit. We have to put more fire hydrants and access roads in C. Laserna area to address fire incidents,” added Torre.

The fire official also reminded the public to regularly check electrical installations for fire safety and to unplug electrical appliances when not in use. 

Kalibo mayor William Lachica, for his part, said the local government will also assist the affected fire victims in rebuilding their houses in C. Laserna area. 

The interior secretary also distributed the second tranche of recovery assistance for typhoon Yolanda victims for municipalities last Saturday in Ibajay, Aklan before proceeding to Kalibo.