A rapidly spreading fire tore through a residential area in Sitio San Roque, Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City on Wednesday evening, destroying approximately 20 houses and leaving one person injured.

The blaze, which originated in the center of the community, proved so difficult to access that responding units bypassed standard protocols to call for immediate reinforcements.

According to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), the fire call was received at 8:21 p.m. Firefighters arrived just two minutes later at 8:23 p.m., but were immediately met with logistical challenges including narrow roads, double-parked vehicles, and low-hanging electrical wires—one of which became entangled with a fire truck.

Fire Inspector Mary Ranelie Salga, Chief of the Administrative Branch and Intelligence and Investigation at the Cagayan de Oro Fire District, explained the urgency of the situation.

“Upon arrival, responders immediately declared a 3rd alarm, bypassing the 1st and 2nd alarms, after determining that the fire had originated at the center of the community, making penetration by fire trucks extremely difficult,” Salga said.

Due to the scale and intensity of the blaze, the BFP raised the status to the 4th alarm at 8:58 p.m.

Tactical Response

With the rear of the community facing Lapasan Highway largely inaccessible, responders were forced to improvise. Firefighters accessed the site from the coastal road, connecting approximately eight fire hoses to span 120 meters (about 400 feet) from the highway to reach the flames.

A total of 23 fire trucks responded to the incident—13 from the BFP and 10 from volunteer fire brigades.

The fire was declared under control at 10:21 p.m., though overhauling operations continued late into the night to ensure no embers remained.

Damage and Injuries

Authorities estimated structural damage at roughly P1 million. The rapid spread was attributed to the construction of the houses, most of which were made of light materials.

One injury was reported: Rogelio Sumalinog Jr. sustained second-degree burns on both his left and right fingers.

Fire investigators remain on site to determine the specific cause of the fire.