By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Around 20 homes were either damaged or destroyed after a fire broke out yesterday morning in a residential area of Purok Marapara in Bacolod City’s Barangay Bata.

The fire was reported to have started around 11:00 a.m. and lasted for almost an hour as firefighters had a difficult time penetrating the area due to the narrow pathways.

There were no casualties recorded in the incident.

As of press time, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) continues to look into the cause of the blaze; however, residents earlier told the agency a butane tank reportedly exploded at one of the houses./DGB, WDJ