ILOILO CITY – Some fire victims of Barangay Tanza Esperanza are reportedly up in arms against residents of neighboring Barangay Timawa Tanza Zone 2  because  the fire that gutted  most  of their houses   started in the residence of  Renato Rosales  of  Zone 2.

City Fire Marshall Sr. Insp. Jerry Berte told city mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog that the fire was caused by  an unattended electric flat iron at the time when  residents had gone  to the city proper to enjoy the Dinagyang Festival.

Some Zone 2 residents said  stones rained  on  their barangay late  Sunday night,  after the big fire was contained by firemen. The residents also said  they did not  seek refuge at the evacuation centers in three nearby public elementary schools due to threats  on their lives and barangay.

The affected residents claimed they reported  their fear to their barangay captain, Antonio Roberto, who will  inform the city mayor and city police chief Sr. Supt. Marietto Valerio.

Liga ng mga Barangays federation president, Roberto Divinagracia, was also told of the situation  and promised to pacify the angry residents.

Houses of both barangay chiefs of Zone 2 and Esperanza barangay captain Noel Odicta were not spared, and were also totally burned, as well as the  houses of some   barangay kagawads.

Mabilog had  earlier reported that the fire,  the biggest to hit the city in the last 20 years, affected four  barangays of Zone 2, Esperanza, Malipayon and Delgado Mabolo,  with the bulk of damages in Barangay Esperanza.

He said that a total of 514 households with 409 totally damaged houses and 15 partially damaged in barangays Esperanza and Malipayon, and 243 families, are evacuated with 155 families at the Rizal Elementary School, 58 at the Manuel L. Quezon Elementary School and 30 at the A. Bonifacio Elementary School, all at Tanza street.

Barangays Tanza Timawa Zone 2 and Mabolo Delgado barangay captain Antonio Yap failed to report the extent of damages in their barangays, and were given  until 1 p.m. on Monday to report to City Administrator Norlito Bautista.

City schools Superintendent Nelly Valerio said the schools were immediately opened to accommodate the fire victims and  their immediate needs for water, comfort rooms, sleeping quarters and for cooking.

Valerio said the city schools are now reviewing for the national achievement test in March 2012 and classrooms allotted for the fire victims are 15 at Rizal ES, 10 at MLQ and 8 at A. Bonifacio.

Teachers were instructed to report and conduct emergency classes and review for the NAT without disrupting the rooms assigned to  the fire victims.*PNA

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