Army soldiers from Camp Evangelista lend firemen a helping hand as they work to put out the flames in Piaping Puti, Barangay Macabalan Monday afternoon. At right, smoke billows up into the sky from the poverty-stricken community. (photos by Jigger J. Jerusalem and Nitz Arancon)
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By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent .

AT LEAST 59 houses and a government office were razed to the ground by a fire that broke out in a poverty-stricken community in Mulmac, Barangay Macabalan, this city Monday afternoon.

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Army soldiers from Camp Evangelista lend firemen a helping hand as they work to put out the flames in Piaping Puti, Barangay Macabalan Monday afternoon. At right, smoke billows up into the sky from the poverty-stricken community. (photos by Jigger J. Jerusalem and Nitz Arancon)

The office of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Region 10 was destroyed.

The fire left some 103 families or 411 people homeless, of whom 190 are female and 221 are male.

Fire marshal Alan Cabut said one person was hurt but the identity of the victim has remained unclear.

Col. Cabut placed the damages to property at P1.3 million.

Initial investigation, according to Cabut, showed that the fire started at the residence of one Emerson Waban which was located beside a fence of the Philippine Ports Authority compound.

However, Waban said he doubted that the fire started at his home.

“Wala may tawo among balay sa pagka sunog kay kami tanan didto man sa among tindahan,” Waban said.

The fire victims are currently taking shelter at the covered court in Macabalan Elementary School.

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