DAVAO CITY – A devastating fire tore through three residential homes in Purok 36, Park Avenue, Calinan Poblacion, Davao City, early in the morning on August 15.
The Bureau of Fire Protection estimated the damages to be around P1,987,000. As of now, there have been no reported casualties resulting from the incident. The fire, which was captured on video by Marianne Louise Castillo at around 1 am, quickly grew into a massive inferno before firefighters arrived at the scene.
According to the report from the Calinan Fire Station, all three homes were completely destroyed, leaving them in ruins.
The incident caused a rapid awakening among the affected residents, who were startled by the intensity of the blaze that interrupted their sleep.
Jobert Salazar, one of the fire victims, recounted, “I woke up and realized that smoke had filled my room. When I opened the window, I saw flames raging outside. I shouted, and even woke up the neighbors. The fire had spread so fast.”
Another resident, Purita Duterte, shared her harrowing experience, “Had we not been awakened, we would have been trapped inside, as the fire started on our roof. We couldn’t salvage our belongings. We managed to ensure the safety of my grandson’s motorbike, which is crucial for my husband, who is recovering from a stroke. We couldn’t even retrieve our mattresses; we just wore the clothes we had on. The heat was so intense that we couldn’t re-enter the house.”
Fire Officer 3 Jason Paul Iguana of the Calinan Fire Station explained, “The fire originated from an old, unoccupied house. It quickly spread to the nearby houses. Despite their efforts to contain it, the fire grew rapidly.”
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined by the Bureau of Fire Protection, and investigations are ongoing.
As families grapple with the aftermath of the fire, community members are rallying to provide assistance, especially since many of the affected individuals lost nearly everything.
Councilor Jorge Ungab of Calinan Poblacion, Davao City, shared their response plan, “We have a tentative data of 25 families affected—12 males and 13 females. The barangay has initiated a donation drive to provide immediate relief, including clothing and relief goods, to constituents affected by the disaster. We have also tapped volunteers to assist in locating boarding houses or rental properties for the affected families.”
