A huge fire struck a Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) retail store located beside the national highway in Zone 5, Barangay Agusan, Cagayan de Oro City.

According to the owner of the building, a brownout occurred prior to the incident. As soon as electric power was back, the fire broke out.

Three employees were reported to have sustained burns.

“Mao man nay pagduty nila, pasulod na sila, mao gyud pag-abri nila, nibuto kalayo na dayon, sila tulo naa sa sulod,” Neneng Lumacang, owner of the building, said.

According to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), it took them a while to put the fire out because of the number of LPG products stocked in the store.

An investigation is ongoing on an alleged decanting operation or refilling of LPG canisters.

BFP warned that decanting operation is illegal.

“Mag-atubang gyud sila ug kaso kay bawal man gyud na siya. Bawal gyud magrefill kay dili siya mao ang planta sa refilling sa maong canister,” SFO3 Flaviano Ente, station commander of Tablon Fire Station, said.

Structural damage was estimated to have reached P25,000.

BFP has called up the owner of the retail store, as of posting time.