By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

At least 31 houses were gutted following a fire at Sitio Dakutan Dako, Barangay Mambulac in Silay City, Negros Occidental yesterday afternoon.

In a radio interview, Barangay Mambulac captain Hazel Cordero said at least 150 individuals were affected by the fire and are currently being sheltered at the grandstand court of the barangay and the Mambulac Elementary School.

Based on information given by some of the residents shortly after noon time, they heard an explosion from one of the houses.

The residents were able to quickly get away as the fire started to spread, with some helping out in quelling the blaze by grabbing buckets of water and throwing the water into the fire.

There were also no casualties, although some of the residents required medical attention due to hypertension.

Silay City Mayor Mark Golez, meanwhile, immediately went to Barangay Mambulac to check on the victims.

Arson investigators from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) are currently investigating the cause and the estimated cost of damages from the blaze./DGB, WDJ