IMAGE OF THE DAY

The aftermath of fire in the urban village of Zamboanga City.

Fire in Zamboanga destroys over P50 million properties
text & photos HADER GLANG

Thousands of people face a grim situation after a fire razed their homes in the urban village of Zamboanga City, just few meters from a university, residents and regional fire officials said.

Three people were taken to hospital for slight injuries before the fire was extinguished after 2,000 houses in Barangay Camino Nuevo were destroyed Thursday night, leaving hundreds of families homeless just after 6:30 p.m., the officials said.

“The fire was too fast and it spread to many houses,” said Norma Miranda, 52, an apartment tenant who said that she still still looking for her husband since last night (Thursday) fire. “Nothing left for us except a bag.”

City Fire Marshall Senior Inspector Janice Espero said a fallen and unattended candle apparently caused the fire which swiftly spread through the congested area where most houses were made of wood and light materials.

“An elderly woman asked her grandchild to light candle in the altar when the fire occurred,” Espero said.

She clarified that the area that was affected by fire reached to 5 hectares and not more than 10, as earlier reported.

Authorities said damage to properties was placed at more than P50 million. “But the fire investigators are still in the area so the figure might increase.”

The first flame was noticed in the interior of Fermin Drive and rapidly spread to Boholano Drive, Carino Drive and areas near Ateneo de Zamboanga University. The six-hour blaze was put out at past 12 midnight, according to radio reports.

Many of those who lost their homes were temporarily sheltered in the elementary school rooms at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University, postponed its graduation rites Friday to give way to fire victims.

Although the fire was the biggest so far to hit in Zamboanga since the late 50s, but it’s common in the city due to the proliferation of crowded areas with thousands of people, mostly squatters crammed into small spaces.

The city government declared the affected village under a state of calamity and called for relief and humanitarian assistance for the fire victims. (ZS)