Residents of Surigao City who lost their homes and possessions due to a fire incident received prompt aid on Wednesday, including boxes of family food packs (FFPs), non-food items, and medical assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 13 (Caraga Region) and the city government.

The fire that started on Tuesday afternoon and burned until evening razed more than 100 houses and other installations in the public market area of Barangay Taft, Surigao City.

In its latest report, the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) said that 165 families, or 612 individuals, were directly affected by the fire.

During the evacuation, affected families were temporarily housed in designated centers for their safety, including the Nueva Gymnasium, Taft National High School, and Mariano Espina Memorial Central Elementary School.

The DSWD-13 and CSWDO provided the affected families with an initial 200 FFPs, two sets of family tents, five modular tents, 73 kitchen kits, 74 sleeping kits, 139 family kits, and 104 hygiene kits to support their basic needs.

The families, especially the children and senior citizens, also received medical care and services from the city government.

“City Mayor Pablo Yves Dumlao II personally visited the evacuation centers and instructed the CSWDO and other concerned departments to ensure the needs and safety of the affected families,” the Surigao City Information Office said.

The Bureau of Fire Protection is still investigating the cause of the fire and evaluating the damage. (PNA)