A portion of the curia of the Apostolic Vicariate of Taytay (AVT) and the service vehicle of Bishop Broderick Pabillo were razed by a fire on Thursday night.
Brother Gerald de Joya, secretary of the chancery, said Friday that the fire started at 12 midnight and was declared fire out by 1 a.m.
The fire damaged the quarters of the vicariate’s cook and driver, including the refectory and the service vehicle parked outside, which Bishop Pabillo used to visit different parishes in AVT.
“Sasakyan ng obispo – na-damage siya, syempre ‘yong lahat ng appliances sa kusina like the refrigerator, television,” de Joya said.
The church has yet to estimate the cost of damage from the incident and said no one was hurt as it immediately awakened the personnel inside.
The incident is still being investigated by the Bureau of Fire Protection of Taytay.
“Noong nagising sila, malakas na ‘yong apoy na nagsimula doon sa katabi nilang kwarto. Most probably ay electrical wiring (cause) kasi nagsimula siya sa room ng driver but the driver is not around, umuwi ata sa kanila sa San Vicente. Hindi namin alam kung anong sinimulan pero most probably ay electrical wiring,” he said.
In a video posted by the AVT on its official Facebook page, Bishop Pabillo said the fire had almost reached the quarters of priests.
“Kagabi mga alas dose ng gabi ay dinapuan ng apoy ang aming building, ang bilis kumalat ng apoy at nasunog ang tirahan ng aming cook, driver, kasama na ‘yong sasakyan na ginagamit ko sa aking pagbibisita sa mga parokya. Naubos ang aming kusina at kainan, mabuti na lang napigilan namin ‘yong apoy na kumalat kung saan nakatira ang mga pari,” Pabillo said.
