By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City –Ten houses went up in smoke in a fire that hit Zone 2, Purok Riverside, Barangay Bata here yesterday.
Chief Inspector Rodel Legaspi, city fire marshal, said they received a call for assistance from a resident around 10:58 a.m.
Legaspi said the fire reportedly broke out in the house of Ivy Zulueta and immediately spread to neighboring houses, which are mostly made of light materials.
“Kadasig lang naglapta ang kalayo because dikit-dikit ang panimalay made of bamboo and nipa,” he added.
Legaspi said they have yet to determine the cause of fire as investigation is ongoing.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) declared fire out around 11:24 a.m.
No injuries were reported. The blaze gobbled an estimated P200,000 worth of properties.
Legaspi said other houses affected by the fire will depend on the list of the barangay and the Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD), which facilitates the assistance from the city government.
Meanwhile, former Negros Occidental third district Rep. and now provincial consultant Albee Benitez, visited the affected households at the said village Friday afternoon and provided each family with P5,000 cash assistance.
Speculations are rife that Benitez is running for Bacolod mayor after he officially transferred his voter’s registration here from Victorias City in April this year.
But he has yet to confirm his political plans, saying that he is keeping his options open.