BY GERRY LEE GORIT
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – DESPITE the Bureau of Fire Protection’s intensive campaign dubbed as Oplan Ligtas na Pamayanan, the fire that gutted down a two-storey residential house along the busy Osmeña Street in Cagayan de Oro City on Wednesday noon has resulted to the death of five family members, city fire district marshal Lt. Sam Velarde.
“The fire lasted for a few minutes and the total damages were only about P50,000, but unfortunately the five victims were not able to escape and their charrged bodies were found beyond recognition,” Velarde said.
Fire marshalls received the fire alarm at 12:31 noontime and were immediately dispatched to the area but the exact location at the Pres. Sergio Osmeña Street, Zone 1, Barangay 34 is inaccessible to the firetrucks thus took firemen precious time to chain their firehoses.
The fire was put under control at around 2p.m.
Firefighters have retrieved five bodies at the second floor of the house which were later identified by house owner Jenafer Cagampang as daughter Charice Cagampang, 25; son-in-law Melvin Subteniente, 26; and her grandchildren Charade Subteniente, 9; Jed Cagampang, 10; and Sims Cagampang Balaba, 2.
Clyde Sas Cagampang, mother of Jed and Sims, was not in their house at that time. She was somewhere else with her two other kids.
According to the fire marshall the house location has only one narrow pathway which made it difficult for firefighters to respond promptly.
Oplan Ligtas na Pamayanan Program (OLPP) – is the Bureau of Fire Protection’s response to the ever growing demand for a more adoptive, comprehensive and immersive fire protection program for the communities, rural and urban villages and barangays.
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