Jessica Galarion’s house in Brgy. Inayawan, Cebu City was reduced to ruins by the fire that struck on March 17, 2023. (Photo courtesy of Jessica Galarion)
CEBU CITY, Cebu (PIA) – An overheated ceiling fan that eventually caught fire led to a family tragedy, resulting in the loss not only of a home but also the life of a loved one.
Jessica Galarion, a 38-year-old worker at the Philippine Economic Zone Authority in Lapu-Lapu City, recalls how the fire incident on March 17, 2023 in Sitio Little Plaza, Barangay Inayawan, Cebu City devastated her family.
“Ang cause sa sunog kay ceiling fan nga wala napawng. Nasunog. Totally, naugdaw among balay. Wala jud mapunit. Kami rang tulo sa akong mama ug brother,” said Galarion.
(The fire was caused by a ceiling fan that was left on and caught fire. We lost our home and all of our belongings. Nothing was left. Only me, my mother, and brother survived the fire.)
The fire, which lasted for about an hour, destroyed 18 houses and partially burned three others, including Galarion’s home.
“Ang worst pa jud kay namatyan pa jud mi. Bana sa akong ig-agaw niya ang cause kay na-suffocate dayon gi-atake sa kasing-kasing,” she added.
(The worst part was that we lost a family member. My cousin’s husband suffocated and suffered a heart attack due to the fire incident.)
Her cousin-in-law, Genido Fuentes, died due to smoke inhalation, which triggered a fatal cardiac arrest.
Firefighters received the alarm at 8:16 a.m., raised the first alarm at 8:23 a.m., and declared the fire under control by 8:51 a.m.
Learning from that tragedy, Galarion said it is important during emergencies for one to stay calm, be vigilant, and prepare a “go-bag” kit, a collection of basic items needed during an emergency such as water, food, flashlight, and first aid kit.
“Ang ako ma-advise kay dili mag-panic unya mangandam especially sa mga important nga documents para isa ra ka bitbit ingkaso na’ay sunog,” said Galarion.
(My advice is not to panic and to prepare, especially by securing important documents in one place for easy access.)
Fire safety plan in households
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) advised households to be proactive in their fire prevention measures, such as identifying potential fire hazards and having alternate exits in their homes.
“Dapat suheto ka sa imung balay. Aduna kay pre-fire planning especially anang grills. Kay mahadlok man ta ug kawatan, ato sad i-make sure nga ang grills naa sa sulod para inkaso aduna’y sunog makagawas gihapon ta. Unya naa pud alternate exit ang balay,” said Lapu-Lapu Fire District chief of operations, Fire Sr. Insp. Diomedo Alburo during the recent Kapihan sa PIA program in Cebu City.
(You should be familiar with your house’s layout and have a pre-fire plan, especially regarding security grills. While we install grills to deter burglars, we must ensure they can be opened from the inside in case of fire. Houses should also have alternative exits.)
Decrease in fire incidents
BFP Region 7 has noted a decrease in the number of fire incidents in the region from 2024 to 2025.
Between January to March, there were 506 cases recorded in 2024 which went down to 224 in 2025.
BFP7 regional chief of staff, Fire Sr. Supt. Pedro G. Balatero Jr., attributed this decrease to BFP’s information campaign on fire prevention measures in the communities.
“We keep instilling in our communities that the bureau’s focus is on engaging, enhancing, and empowering local communities. We emphasize prevention over suppression, starting at the barangay level and within families,” Balatero said.
Balatero also announced that BFP will be buying additional fire trucks to augment the firefighting capability of the 53 fire stations in Cebu. (MYP/PIA7 Cebu)
