Family in Tuguegarao loses home, belongings to fire a day before father’s surgery

Tuguegarao City, Cagayan – Just a day before her husband was scheduled to undergo surgery, Gladis Paraggua and her family lost nearly everything they had when a fire razed their home in Lecaros Extension, Barangay Ugac Sur, Tuguegarao City, on October 12.

The fire destroyed their belongings, leaving the family with only the clothes they were wearing.

Among the items lost were her husband's important documents needed for his scheduled operation at Cagayan Valley Medical Center (CVMC) on October 13.

For the family, the fire came at a difficult time as they were preparing for her husband's surgery. With their home and belongings gone, they now face the challenge of recovering from the loss while dealing with his medical needs.

Based on the initial report from authorities obtained by local media outlets, the fire started in the kitchen at around 4 p.m. and quickly spread throughout the house.

The City Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) responded immediatelty after being notified of the incident and declared the fire out at around 5 p.m.

According to the XFM-Tuguegarao, Gladis said her parents were away at their farm when the fire broke out, while her sibling was also not at home.

No one was inside the house at the time, and no injuries or deaths were reported.

The fire also affected the family's neighboring house, where an elderly bedridden resident lived. Fortunately,  the relatives and neighbors were able to bring the elderly person to safety.

The BFP's initial report said the neighboring house sustained only minor damage, unlike the Paraggua family's home, which was almost completely destroyed.

As of this writing, the BFP Tuguegarao is still investigating the cause of the fire and determining the total cost of the damage.

The agency reminded the public to check the safety of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanks and electrical equipment to help prevent similar incidents.