A fire which erupted on Sunday afternoon at a residential area in Talibon town’s heavily populated main district left at least 14 families homeless and P750,000 in property damages.

Talibon Fire Station investigator SFO2 Niceas Hondanero said that the fire which raged for over two hours razed only 12 houses, contrary to the previously reported 20.

All of the burned houses were made of light materials, he added.

According to Hondanero, the fire started at the house of one Gorgonio Goliodo, 60, at Sitio Pasil in Barangay Poblacion, possibly due to an overheated cellphone charger.

Residents in the affected area still tried to put out the fire themselves before contacting the fire department, said Hondanero.

“Mga 20 minutos pod siguro to nga nakatawag na sila diri sa among station kay gisuwayan pa daw nila og pawong ang kayo pero wala na daw makaya kay dako na mao tong nanawag na sila diri namo,” he said.

The Talibon Fire Station reached the area at 12:40 p.m. and declared the blaze under control at 3.pm.

Hondanero said that the fire reached third alarm prompting fire trucks from Trinidad, Buenavista, Inabanga, Ubay, Alicia, Bien Unido and Dagohoy to also respond to the emergency.

A fire truck of the Alturas Group of Companies was also deployed to help put out the fire.

According to Hondaneras, some of the affected families stayed with relatives while the others were given accommodations at the municipal gym.

Fire authorities meanwhile continued their probe on the case. (Allen Doydora)