‘Cheap’ ceiling fan suspected of razing 50 houses in Mandaue City (And the fan was made in...?)

Where was the fan made? My guess is that it was made in "you know where".

Having said that, the government should protect the public against substandard electrical equipment.

Although it is true that we lack the personnel to conduct inspection, a law can be passed that sellers of substandard electrical appliances and equipment should be held liable.

==================================
Sunstar Story
By  REBELANDER S. BASILAN

FIRE struck a congested neighborhood in Barangay Labogon, Mandaue City last Friday night, razing 50 houses and displacing more than 40 families.

In Barangay Calawisan, Lapu-Lapu City, one house was burned while another was damaged when a fire broke out shortly before noon yesterday.

Nobody was reported injured in both incidents.

The fire in Labogon was blamed on a “cheap” ceiling fan that overheated and exploded.
SFO2 Cirpriano Codilla Jr. of the Bureau of Fire Protection-Mandaue City said the fire was reported to their station at 10:14 p.m.

Firefighters rushed to the scene in Sitio Lapyahan and battled the fire until midnight.

Codilla, in a phone interview, said the fire started in the house of Melicio Ladraga, 68.
“Dunay nag-overheat na ceiling fan kanang baratuhon sa iyang balay (He had an electric fan, a cheap one, that overheated),” he said.

Codilla said the fan was reportedly bought at around P50 only.

Damage was pegged at P500,000. Codilla said the houses were made of light materials.

Assistance
Violeta Cavada, head of the City Social Welfare Services, said the fire displaced at least 42 families or 184 persons.

She said they have identified 31 house owners and 11 renters or sharers.

Mayor Jonas Cortes and social workers gave relief goods to the fire victims yesterday morning.

Cavada said the fire victims were temporarily housed in a multi-purpose building of the barangay.
Rep. Gabriel Luis Quisumbing (Cebu, 6th district), also went to the area around 9:30 a.m. to distribute relief goods.

His staff gave each family at least two kilos of rice, canned goods and toiletries. They returned in the afternoon to serve cooked food.

The congressman said he will give cash aid to the victims.

Cavada said the City may give financial aid but they will focus on the fire victims’ immediate needs for now, like food and clothing.

Barangay level

“Any cash assistance still needs to be processed,” she said.

Cavada said the City may not have to declare a state of calamity since only 40 families were affected. “This can be handled on the barangay level,” she said.

Declaring a state of calamity, to be done by the council, allows a local government unit to use a portion of its calamity funds to give cash aid to victims of a disaster.

In Purok Lato, Barangay Calawisan, the Lapu-Lapu City Fire District received a call for help at 11:45 a.m.

The flames were put out a few minutes past noon, said FO1 Placido Bacolod.
Bacolod said the fire was caused by electrical misuse in the house of Roberto Baguio. The cost of damage was estimated at P80,000.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on September 20, 2015.