UP IN SMOKE. Firefighters battle the blaze that hit Mandaue Foam Furniture Center in Barangay Kinasang-an Pardo, Cebu City on April 18, 2023. / BENJIE TALISIC
The fire department has recorded more than 100 fire incidents since the start of the year, 44 of them for the month of April alone.
For now, the Cebu City Fire Station assures that water is available for responding to fire incidents; however, it asks the public to conserve water and be vigilant and careful to prevent anything that may cause fire.
Cebu City Fire Station spokesman Wendell Villanueva, in an interview Friday, April 21, 2023, said they closely coordinate with the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) every time they receive a fire alarm.
Villanueva said they experienced a problem of water supply after typhoon Odette (Rai) when they also had to respond to multiple fires.
The powerful storm knocked out power and water services in large parts of Cebu on Dec. 16, 2021.
“For now, we still don’t have that problem of scarce water supply that would prevent us from responding to fires,” said Villanueva in Cebuano.
MCWD spokesperson Minerva Gerodias, in a text message Friday, assured there is enough water supply in hydrants for firefighting.
Of the 44 fires this April, Villanueva said 15 involved structural fires, while the rest were grass and rubbish fires.
In 2022, the City’s Fire Station recorded 224 fire incidents with a total estimated damage of more than P506.6 million.
In March 2023, during the Fire Prevention Month, the fire department also recorded more than P11.5 million in damage due to fires.
Prevent fire
Villanueva reiterated his call to the public to refrain from burning their garbage or dried leaves.
He said combustible materials should be properly stored and kept away from the reach of children and household pets.
He added that adults and children must switch off lights and electric-powered appliances and devices and unplug them as well as chargers when not in use.
“I appeal to the public to listen to the prescribed guides of the fire department so as to reduce the fire alarms that we must respond to,” said Villanueva.
For the Cebu City Government, the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) is still collating the data on the total amount the City has released for the assistance given to the fire victims.
Five percent of the annual budget of the Cebu City Government is allocated for the calamity fund where the DSWS gets the funds used for assistance to fire victims.
DSWS head Ester Concha said Friday that for fires that hit residential areas, the City provides P20,000 in financial aid for those whose houses were damaged or destroyed, and P10,000 for renters and sharers.
Concha hopes there will be no more fire incidents so the disaster fund can be spent not only on fire victims but also for other calamity-related matters.
