The fire that hit Brgy. Zone 1 in Pulupandan, Negros Occidental, destroyed and damaged 18 houses causing P1.755 million in loses, Mayor Luis Mondia said yesterday.

Of the 18 houses hit by fire 13 were destroyed and five were damaged, and 20 families composed of 82 persons were affected, Mondia told the DAILY STAR.

Police investigations also showed that the one-hour blaze, which started at 11:35 p.m. of Thursday and was put out by responding firefighters at past midnight yesterday, also led to slight injuries of four residents, including two minors, police investigations show. The slightly injured victims were identified as Natividad Torres, Letecia Alarcon and sisters, Mary Joy Torres, 10, and Shannel, 13, according to DYEZ reports.

Pulupandan police chief Nestor Tuadles yesterday said initial police investigations show the fire which reportedly was triggered by faulty electrical wirings, started at the house of Alejo Torres.

Tuadles said the fire had already consumed four houses when fire trucks of Bago Bureau of Fire and Protection arrived, and were later joined by Asian Alcohol, La Carlota, Bacolod BFP as well as Chamber and Amity fire fighters. Pulupandan town has no fire truck.

Homeless after their respective homes were gutted by fire, aside from the Torres family, were Nora and Mervin Agustin, Danilo Verde, Charito Pilasol, Em Em Jocson, Apollo Mosqueda, Carlito Formacion, Junior Mondia, Lina Fe Agustin and Rhodora Gapulao.

The houses damaged were owned by Roy Vargas, Aireen Salin and Inocencio Metro.

Mondia said he had provided each family assistance of P500 each on Thursday night.

He said the town government will give families whose houses were destroyed P5,000 each and P2,000 each for those whose house were damaged.

The provincial government sent rice, noodles, sardines and used clothing to the Pulupandan fire victims, Gov. Joseph Marañon also said.

Mondia said the municipal government cannot afford to buy even a P1 million mini fire truck.

He said Asian Alcohol in Pulupandan has a firetruck but the first to respond to the fire Thursday night was the firetruck from Bago City.

Valladolid town that was also hit by fire recently also does not have a firetruck.

Marañon said if the officials of the towns with no firetrucks raise the matter with him he will see what he can do. The initiative has to come from them, he said.*GPB

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