Fire hits residential area in Koronadal City

KORONADAL CITY -- A fire of still unknown origin gutted down at least seven houses in Barangay Paulino Santos here Saturday, including the one owned by anOverseas Filipino Workers (OFW) who was on vacation.Fire officials said the conflagration started from a house whose owners were out and quickly spread to other houses nearby, all made of semi-concrete and light materials.In a flash report by DXOM-AM Radyo Bida ,the fire, which started at 3 p.m., destroyed in less than an hourseven houses and affected 11 families, all residents of Purok Magsaysay, Gen. Paulino Santos, Koronadal City.Several houses were also partially destroyed as fire fighters poured in water to prevent the fire from spreading in nearby purok. Fire officers said they have difficulty reaching the fire scene due to narrow pathways leading inside the sub-village.Zoraida Indale, an OFW who was on vacation could hardly believed all her valuables, including her passports and other travel documents were gone quickly.Barangay General Paulino Santos Chairperson Margarita Subaldo the victims have been extended with emergency relief assistance and will temporarily stay at the village's covered court.Two residents suffered minor burns.Initial investigation revealed that an abandoned electric fan could have triggered the fire.Arson investigators are yet to determine the amount of damages.