An over hourlong blaze that gutted a two-story ancestral house along Tamblot Street in Tagbilaran City damaged an estimated P1.2 million worth of properties, according to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

No one was injured during the fire which broke out at past midnight on Saturday and was declared fire out at 1:48 a.m.

Senior Fire Officer Winifredo Racho of the Tagbilaran Fire Station said the blaze erupted due to an accidental spraying of an insecticide into a lighted candle causing the fire to spread in one of the bedrooms of the semi-concrete residence owned by the family of lawyer Fermino Mar.

“Dihay scented candle na gibutang sa kwarto tapos diha kunoy cockroach na nakita unya ilang gi-sprayhan adtong Baygon insecticide, dretso silaab kuno pag igo sa candle,” said Racho.

After the flames spread inside the room, the residents immediately fled and went outside the house.

“Nanagan sila kay na kuyawan siguro, kay midako man diretso ang kayo,” he added.

According to Racho, they were immediately able to deploy fire trucks to the area after they were alerted at 12:40 a.m.

The flames however had already engulfed most of the house when the firefighters arrived.

Racho said that the fire reached second alarm prompting stations in neighboring towns to also deploy firetrucks.

According to Racho, the public should be careful in the use of insecticide sprays as these are highly flammable.

“Kaning pag gamit ug mga disinfectant ug insecticide, permanente g’yud namo e-remind na dili na gamiton sa kusina kay flammable,” he said. (A. Doydora)