A fire destroyed four business establishments and an apartment on Christmas Eve in Barangay Daang Sarile, Cabanatuan City, causing an estimated P1.2 million in damages.

The fire, which reached first alarm status, lasted an hour before firefighters put it out.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) reported that the blaze started at a paint store and spread quickly to neighboring properties due to the presence of flammable materials.

“Medyo matagal po naapula ‘yung apoy dahil ang involved ay mga highly flammable materials,” SFO1 Nicasius Arvin Yuson, the investigator handling the case, said.

“Nag-start yung apoy dito sa bandang paint center o tindahan ng mga pintura, so ang laman po niyan mga combustible materials saka flammable materials,” Yuson added.

No injuries were reported, but the property owners affected are devastated.

Alfred Tumanday, one of the business owners, shared his concern.

“(Papaano po ‘yan lugi na po kayo?) Opo talaga po, e magba-Bagong Taon po. Sana po matulungan po kami... baka po totally di na po kami pag-operate-in dito, kasi nasunog nga po yung building,” he said.

Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the total damages and the exact cause of the fire.

SFO1 Yuson also reminded the public to prioritize fire safety, especially during the holiday season.

“Nagpapaalala po kami na mag-ingat po tayo palagi. 'Wag po natin iiwan ang mga appliances na nakasaksak, 'yung mga niluluto po natin na naiiwan po natin, lalo po ngayon panahon ng kapaskuhan. Lagi po tayo mag-ingat para maiwasan po ang ganitong sakuna,” he said.