Zamboanga city: About P1.4 million worth of properties were destroyed in a four-hour fire early Friday in this city, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said. Supt. Leo Pioquinto, BFP's Zamboanga City Fire District (ZCFD) marshal, stated that the fire broke out around 1:21 a.m. in Sitio Cambodia, Purok 1, Barangay Sangali.
According to Philippines News Agency, the fire began in one of the houses and rapidly spread, engulfing nearby homes. Supt. Pioquinto identified one of the house owners as Nering Wahi. The fire reached third alarm status and was brought under control around 2:44 a.m. following continuous fire suppression operations.
Initial investigations reported that 40 houses were razed, affecting about 50 families, pending assessment by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO). Fortunately, there were no fatalities or injuries reported during the incident.
Pioquinto noted that nine BFP fire trucks responded to the fire call. Additionally, auxiliary responders from the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, along with a private fishing firm, dispatched three and one water tankers, respectively. Meanwhile, the city government, through the CSWDO, has mobilized resources to provide relief assistance to the affected families.
