A fire which engulfed a large portion of the one-hectare Cogon Public Market compound left P3 million worth of property damage, a fire official said.
According to Tagbilaran City fire marshal Sr. Insp. Marlyn Macatangay, the fire razed at least 80 stalls inside the market compound.
No one was injured due to the blaze while investigations continued to identify the cause of the fire, Macatangay said.
The fire which started at 1:20 p.m. was initially raised to the First Alarm and later elevated to Task Force Alpha before it was declared under control at 1:50 p.m., said Macatangay.
Task Force Alpha is the sixth highest fire alarm out of 11 levels, the highest of which is General Alarm.
According to Tagbilaran City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office chief Gerard Labadia, they are offering temporary shelter to two families who they found out were living inside their stores at the market.
“Na-identify nato na diri sila tigkatog so ipahiluna nato sila. Kung ok sila, agto sila sa atong city evacuation center,” Labadia said, noting that there are likely still other individuals who have been sleeping at their stores inside the decades-old facility which is owned by the city government.
Meanwhile, Tagbilaran City Mayor Baba Yap is set to offer assistance to those affected by the fire, he added.
Jose Sabillion, a 56-year-old who owns a variety store inside the market, said that he was not able to save any of his belongings as he made sure to keep his children safe first.
“Taud-taud, pagbalik nako kusog na kaayo ang kayo. Pag abot nako, gadagan akong asawa, akong tindihan na ugdaw na. Di na matabang ang kaayo mao ang akong gisuguro akong mga bata, gi-safety nako bahala na ang mga butang,” he said.
Si Jose Sabillion 56 anyos tindero og tuba ug sari-sari sa Cogon public market.
Posted by Dyrd Bohol Ang Kasaligan on Tuesday, July 9, 2019
Gaspara Pojas, 81, who said that she has been selling native products at the market since 1976, also had most of her merchandise burned in the flames.
The blaze that engulfed one of Tagbilaran City’s main markets was the second large-scale fire to hit the city in 2019.
In February, 37 families were displaced by a fire which hit a residential area in Barangay Booy, Tagbilaran City. (R. Tutas)