Fire-hit Iloilo town placed under state of calamity

Some P200 million worth of properties were destroyed in a fire that razed a public market in Calinog town in Iloilo province Thursday night, a report said Saturday. The town was placed under a state of calamity so the local government can help local residents recover from the incident, radio dzBB reported. Up to 90 percent of the public market was destroyed in the fire, which started at an eatery and spread quickly because the nearby stalls were made of light materials, the report said. It added that the vendors were forced to set up their wares outside the market since Friday. A separate report on Western Visayas news site The Daily Guardian said the fire broke out around 8:30 p.m. Thursday from the eatery area. Fire brigades from neighboring towns and fire volunteers from Iloilo City were able to put out the fire past midnight, The Daily Guardian report also said. — JE, GMA News