LIGHTNING caused P700,000 in damage after sparking a fire in Purok 6, Sitio Pungot, Barangay Escuela, Tugbok District, on Sunday evening, July 9.
Major Elisa Ramirez, commander of Los Amigos Police Station, said housewife Gemma Sebastian Delos Reyes, 55, owned the house.
Initial investigation showed Delos Reyes and her husband heard a loud crack around 6:35 p.m. Moments later, they realized that flames were already engulfing their roof, quickly spreading toward the wooden ceiling and finally the house’s second level.
The victims could only get out, along with a few belongings, before the second level collapsed and fire gobbled most of the house.
Firefighters from Mintal, Calinan Fire Station and Central 911 arrived and finally suppressed the fire at 8:12 p.m.
SFO1 Genesis Sitcharon, Bureau of Fire Philippines-Mintal investigator, confirmed that lightning ignited the roof, and the flames quickly spread because the house was made of light material. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident.
