By Xander Ledesma
A fire struck Barangay San Pedro in Molo on Thursday, displacing at least 57 families and leaving 240 individuals homeless. The blaze, which began at 12:22 p.m. and was brought under control by 1:16 p.m., destroyed 46 houses and partially damaged two others, according to Acting Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon.
The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) reported that among the affected were seven boarder families and two sharers. All evacuees are currently being housed at Molo 1 Elementary School, where the local government has mobilized resources to provide aid.
Mayor Ganzon announced the activation of social welfare and health teams to deliver temporary shelter, food, medical assistance, and counseling services. Additionally, static water tanks with a 2, 000-liter capacity are being provided to ensure access to safe drinking water.
The mayor also appealed to the public to assist the affected families. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire, which caused significant destruction in the area.