A fire which broke out on Friday afternoon and raged for over an hour gutted a house along a national road in Barangay Laya, Baclayon leaving P500,000 in property damage.

According to PO3 Francis Briones of the Baclayon Police Station, the blaze erupted at past 1:40 p.m. and was declared fire out at 2:58 p.m. by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

Initial investigation by the BFP indicated that the fire may have been caused by an electrical short circuit.

No one was injured during the incident while the fire did not spread to neighboring houses, said Briones.

There was no one inside the house, which was made of concrete but was old, when the fire broke out, he added.

Briones identified the owner of the house as Paterna Pillas, a widow.

Pillas was in Barangay Bool, Tagbilaran City during the fire and was only told of the incident by a neighbor.

According to Briones, the house was completely gutted while none of Pillas’ belongings including her clothes and appliances were salvaged.

Her kitchen however was not damaged as it was in a separate structure from the main house.

Briones said that the house was previously owned by a foreigner and was bought by Pillas in the 1980s. (Rey Tutas)