1,000 persons left homeless as Surigao fire burns 200 houses

BUTUAN CITY- A fire in Surigao on Saturday burned 200 houses and left 1,000 individuals homeless and killed a 68-year-old woman. The fire in Barangay Taft, in Surigao City affected 360 families and caused an estimated P10 million damage to property. Reports reaching this regional center of Caraga Region, Butuan City identified the lone fatality as Nenita Mindania Cabada. The local Bureau of Fire Protection officials said several firefighters from nearby fire stations and volunteer groups helped them put out the fire— the Surigao City fire station, Filipino-Chinese volunteer fire Brigade, Taga-an town firefighters, Claver town fire station, Municipality of Placer fire station, Mainit fire station, Alegria fire station and Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte fire station, Jabonga fire station, Air transportation Office and other non-government rescue organization volunteers. Authorities said the weekend incident was first major fire this year that hit Surigao City, some 126 kilometers away from Butuan City, the region’s capital. –VVP, GMANews.TV