Fire gutted a building in the downtown area of Bacolod City. 

The fire started at a “pasalubong center” (where goods are sold as gifts given by travelers from their destination to people back home) in Gatuslao Street, Barangay 14, Bacolod City at around 9 a.m. on June 23, 2024.

According to the Bacolod City Fire Office, the fire started at the storage room on the second floor of the said establishment. The fire reportedly spread quickly to the first floor where the “pasalubong center” was located. 

The blaze also razed an adjacent fashion and novelty shop.

The fire was raised to third alarm.

Bacolod City firefighters disclosed that they had a hard time getting into the building because of live wires.

The Bureau of Fire Protection declared a fire-out at 10:48 a.m.

Power surge is considered a cause of the fire.

“The cause of the fire is electrical in nature, yesterday dyan sa downtown area natin, may power interruption. It could be na nag-on and off ang pagpailaw ng kuryente. We are considering na baka sa power surge siguro,” Fire Superintendent Jenny Mae Masip, fire marshal of Bacolod City, said.

Damage left by the fire was estimated to be worth over P8 million.