By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Fire-prone areas in Bacolod City have increased to 120, the latest hazard mapping conducted by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) showed.

In a radio interview yesterday morning, BFP-Bacolod fire marshal, Chief Inspector Stephen Jardeleza revealed that, of the 61 city villages, 37 were tagged as red zones.

Jardeleza said the number of informal settlers in fire-prone areas will increase further.

He said the villages should actively participate in the BFP’s Oplan Ligtas Pamayanan program to reduce the possibility of fire incidents from happening again.

Under the program, villages can give a more accurate hazard mapping of their area, and they can also perform community drills to improve response in times of fire emergencies.

House-to-house surveys can also be helpful in reducing the chances of fire incidents in the community.

Over the weekend, at least 25 homes were destroyed while two others were damaged due to a fire in a residential area in Barangay 7’s Purok Kangkong.

No one was hurt in the blaze.

The cost of damage was pegged at P195,000.

The fire was believed to have been caused by an exploded butane gas stove./DGB, WDJ