SOME 1,354 families or more than 4,000 individuals have been displaced by a fire that hit Lapu-Lapu City last Tuesday afternoon.
The fire broke out at around 1:30 p.m. in Sitio Sta Maria, Barangay Pusok and was put out at 5 p.m.
Authorities are still determining what caused the fire, which razed around 600 houses mostly built from light materials.
No one was reported killed or injured.
Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan said the fire could be the biggest blaze recorded in the city’s history.
Chan has ordered the cancellation of the Christmas party of city hall employees and officials.
“Now is not the time to party as we have brothers struggling with the fire. The funds raised for the Christmas party will be donated to the families affected,” said Chan.
He said other government offices in the city, including that of his wife, Rep. Ma. Cynthia King-Chan, have also canceled their Christmas parties.
Chan appealed for donations, including food and water, to sustain the needs of the victims.
The Lapu-Lapu City public information office said Chan convened a meeting with various stakeholders “to formulate a comprehensive plan” to assist the fire victims.
It said the discussions focused on relief efforts, including the provision of temporary shelter, food, and clothing to the displaced families.
“Mayor Chan assured that the City Government would make every effort to help displaced families return to normalcy,” it said.
It also said that the city council has declared Sitio Sta Maria under a state of calamity during a special session yesterday in recognition of the “severe impact” of the fire.
The move allows the city government to access its calamity fund to provide more help to the fire victims.
Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo yesterday said a court utility employee was responsible for the fire that hit the municipal court building in Minglanilla, Cebu last Tuesday afternoon.
Gesmundo said this was based on the report provided by the police to the High Court.
“There was an initial report provided to us. It is somewhat problematic because a court employee caused the fire. It seems he had some problems, so what he did is he locked the court door and set the records on fire,” Gesmundo said.
Gesmundo said the fire trapped his colleagues who tried to escape as the blaze began to spread.
“Thank God everyone is now in the hospital, and their conditions are stable,” he said.
At least 11 people were hurt and brought to the Minglanilla District Hospital, the San Lucas Hospital, and South General Hospital.
The suspect, identified as Jose Augusto, was also brought to the hospital but did not survive.
“He committed suicide. He died,” Gesmundo said of Augusto.
Gesmundo said he immediately called the Executive Judge in Cebu to assess the situation and inform him of what assistance the SC could extend.
“As soon as I heard the news, I requested the PNP and coordinated with them to conduct a preliminary investigation and assessment of what happened. We have addressed that now, we have sent people from the Office of the Court Administrator to look into the problem,” the chief magistrate said. — With Ashzel Hachero
