Residents claim BFP was slow, short on water

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

At least four houses were destroyed following a recent blaze at Kaingin Bridge, located along Jaime Street in  Barangay Zone-5, Talisay City, Negros Occidental.

Based on information provided by the Talisay City Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), the fire initially started around 2:45 a.m.

Talisay City BFP officer-in-charge, Senior Fire Officer 2 Marvinjun Tolosa, said arson investigators determined the fire started at the residence of a certain Jessel Mabalon.

He said the fire was caused by short circuit from a mobile phone charger.

The fire quickly spread to the nearby houses as they were all made of light materials. It took firefighters at least an hour to quell the blaze as it took a long time for the electricity supply to be cut-off.

There were no fatalities or life threatening injuries recorded in the incident, although damage was estimated at P1.1 million.

Local BFP arson investigators are currently conducting further investigations.

Affected residents, meanwhile, blamed the spread of the blaze on slow reaction by the BFP, claiming the firetruck did not have enough supply of water in its tanks./DGB, WDJ