By Felipe V. Celino
ROXAS CITY, Capiz – Around P300,000 worth of ready-to-wear (RTW) items and other properties went up in smoke after a fire hit the public market of Panitan, Capiz Thursday evening, June 15.
Fire Officer Rommel Arquisola of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) of Panitan said a stall owned by Risalie Bechayda was burned to the ground while 11 others were partially gutted.
The affected vendors are selling RTW items inside the public market located in Brgy. Tabuc Sur.
The fire erupted around 9:30 pm.
The BFP identified the stall owners as Jose Diva, Nelly Daliva, Jessel Bibas, Elena Dordas, Danilo Dadivas, Jesus Vasquez, Jolas Dela Cruz, Lorenza Dela Torre, Jesse Catalan, and Aria Gabrielle Paulene Dadivas.
Initial investigation revealed that an electrical short circuit might be the cause of the fire.
No one was hurt in the fire that was declared out around 10:30 pm after fire trucks from Brgy. Loctugan in Roxas City and Pontevedra town responded to the incident.
