By LITO RULONA
Correspondent
FIRE broke out in a community in the town of Jasaan, Misamis Oriental on Tuesday afternoon, killing an 11-year old boy, razing to the ground some 78 houses, and leaving over a hundred families or over 400 people homeless in the village of San Antonio.
SFO2 Edcel Salvaña identified the lone fatality as Nilgine Mark Daapong, a “special child” who ran back towards the direction of burning houses apparently to look for his father.
Daapong’s father Nilo said the fire started inside their house, and then it quickly spread towards the compound of the Philippine Benevolent Christian Missionaries.
He said his children were watching television when an electrical wire burst, sparking a fire that quickly spread out.
He said Nilgine Mark and another child of his had mental health problems resulting from nutritional imbalance.
The Bureau of Fire Protection initially counted 42 houses destroyed and over 400 people living in Barangay San Antonio displaced.
Danilo Nacua, a Jasaan resident, told the Gold Star Daily that the fire broke out inside the PBCM compound.
The capitol’s information office quoted Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office chief Fernando Dy as saying that the number of displaced individuals went up to over a hundred families as of the 10 am count.
A resident identified as Jonathan Patio was rushed to a hospital because of wounds all over the body. He was badly wounded as he escaped from the burning neighborhood.
Investigators have yet to determine the cause of the fire that required fire fighters and 10 fire trucks from neighboring areas to put out.
Fire fighters said they had difficulties because the affected areas had narrow roads that made the use of fire trucks impossible. To reach certain areas, firefighters linked their hoses, and penetrated areas on foot.
“Under investigation pa kay dili nato ma-point kung asa nagsugod kay dikit-dikit ang mga panimalay,” said Salvaña, noting that most of the houses were made of highly combustible materials.
Jasaan Mayor Jonathan Po appealed to the capitol for aid so that the displaced families could rebuild.
He also called for relief assistance for families who were forced to go to evacuations centers.
“Initially, we have registered 97 families affected and 427 individuals. Nakapadala na kita og bugas para dunay dali nga maluto,” he said.
Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano called on authorities to investigate and find out what really happened.
The capitol sent relief workers who set up assistance and medical desks to help families.
The PDRRMO and Misorcares team distributed relief goods that included blankets, canned goodsm packed noodles, slippers, diapers, soaps, face towels and mosquito nets.
“These are just our initial help. There will be more in the coming days because it is the directive of the governor to us to never leave the displaced families until everything is stable,” Dy said. (with misor-pio)
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