Fire engulfs 106 homes in northern Negros city

BACOLOD CITY - About 106 families in San Carlos City in northern Negros Occidental lost their homes to a fire allegedly caused by an unattended lighted candle Friday night. In a report on Saturday, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) said the affected families along Endrina Street, Barangay 5, comprising 424 individuals, are staying in the Barangay 4 gymnasium. 'Let us help our brothers and sisters who lost their homes in (the) fire last night. In these times, they need our compassion and support more than ever. Together, we will draw on our resilience to rebuild stronger and restore your community even better for everyone,' Mayor Renato Gustilo said in a statement. He also urged other residents to 'open your hearts and contribute whatever you can - whether through donations of clothing, food, or financial support.' Last June, Gustilo also lost to fire his own home, as well as the ancestral house of his grandparents on Ylagan Street in Barangay 5 due to possible arson. In a r adio interview on Saturday, the mayor said a male resident turned himself in and admitted that the fire, which started past 8 p.m., was triggered by the lighted candle he and his companions left unattended after using illegal drugs. The Bureau of Fire Protection in San Carlos City has yet to issue an official result of its investigation. According to the CDRRMO Humanitarian Assistance Services, the affected families were provided with food and non-food items by the City Social Welfare and Development Office and the Barangay 5 Council. 'The Office of the City Mayor and the City Government of San Carlos facilitates the need of all fire victims but donations in kind are welcome,' it added. It said the response cluster on camp coordination and camp management, and internally displaced persons protection is coordinating closely with officials of Barangay 5. Source: Philippines News agency