By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

At least 25 houses were destroyed while two suffered extensive damage following a fire in Bacolod City’s Barangay 7 late Saturday night, September 9.

Fire chief Inspector Stephen Jardeleza, Bureau of Fire Protection-Bacolod (BFP) Fire Marshal, said the fire, which started at 9:45 p.m., reached the third alarm status.

He added that it took more than an hour to put out the blaze.

The fire, which affected 35 families, caused damage estimated at P195,000.

Witnesses told BFP-Bacolod that the fire started in the house of Federico Lomayno.

Jardeleza said an unattended burning butane gas stove, believed to have exploded, may be the cause of the fire.

Lomayno admitted that he was cooking before the blaze.

He is not expected to face charges over the fire as the BFP ruled that the blaze was accidental in nature./DGB, WDJ