Bacolod City – A devastating fire swept through a residential area in San Carlos City, northern Negros Occidental, destroying 106 homes and displacing hundreds of residents, following an incident involving an unattended lighted candle on Friday night.
According to the Philippines News Agency, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) reported that the fire affected approximately 424 individuals from 106 families residing along Endrina Street in Barangay 5. These families are currently taking refuge in the Barangay 4 gymnasium, where they have been provided with emergency shelter and aid.
The fire was allegedly started by a lighted candle left unattended in one of the homes, a situation exacerbated by illegal drug use according to a confession by a male resident involved in the incident. The Bureau of Fire Protection in San Carlos City has initiated an investigation but has yet to release its official findings.
In response to the disaster, Mayor Renato Gustilo issued a statement calling for community support and urging residents to contribute to recovery efforts by donating clothing, food, or financial support. This call to action comes shortly after a personal loss experienced by Gustilo himself, who lost his and his grandparents’ ancestral homes to a suspected arson attack last June.
The local government, alongside the City Social Welfare and Development Office and the Barangay 5 Council, has been actively distributing food and non-food items to support the affected families. Additional coordination efforts are underway involving camp management and protection services for internally displaced persons, aiming to manage the aftermath and aid those impacted by the fire.