ORMOC CITY– Residents of a coastal community in Ormoc City were jolted awake late Sunday night as a massive fire tore through their neighborhood, reducing homes to ashes in a matter of hours.
A third-alarm fire struck Purok 3, Barangay Naugan at around 11:52 p.m. on June 14, 2026, rapidly spreading through the area and destroying 30 houses along with a classroom and laboratory structure, with damage estimated at P2 million.
Fire officials said the blaze was reported at 11:57 p.m., with initial responders arriving at 12:06 a.m. on June 15. Firefighters managed to control the fire by 1:12 a.m. before fully extinguishing it at 2:14 a.m.
The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWD) confirmed that 40 families or 154 individuals were affected. Evacuees are now staying at a temporary shelter set up at the barangay covered court, while additional tents have been installed by the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO).
Relief assistance has been extended to the displaced families, including hygiene kits from the City Health Department (CHD) and food packs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Firefighting teams from Ormoc and nearby municipalities, supported by eight Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) fire trucks and one ambulance, responded to the emergency.
Authorities have ruled out no injuries or deaths, but the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
(ELVIE ROMAN ROA)
