A fire hit a boarding house along Burgos Street, Brgy. Masikap on Thursday.
Fire Officer 3 Rud Mark Anticano, Investigation and Intelligence Section chief of the Puerto Princesa City Fire Station (PPCFS), said they responded to the incident around 7:35 a.m.
Early reports received by fire officers claimed that a 50-year old paralyzed man was trapped inside the boarding house but this was later determined to be false.
Enan Corpuz, a carpenter, said he noticed the fire while he was on the third floor of his employer’s house.
He said he saw smoke coming from an air conditioning unit in one of the rooms of the boarding house and immediately reported it to his employer.
An initial report by arson investigators said the house is owned by a certain Policrania Bacuel and the fire started in the room of his son Feliberto Bacuel.
Anticano said they are still investigating to determine the cause of the fire.
“We are looking at electrical ignition, open flame, at ‘yong maaaring kapabayaan na ginawa noong occupant ng kwarto,” he said.
He said initial damages to the boarding house may be around P30,000 but could increase as soon as the owner of the boarding house is already able to make a report to their office.
