World · Philippines Bureau
Fire destroys 13 homes in Samar during Undas observance
A residential fire in Catbalogan City displaced 19 families, while separate incidents involving cemetery and mausoleum damage were reported across Leyte during the All Saints' and All Souls' Days period.
LSN Philippines ·
TACLOBAN CITY — A fire swept through a residential area in Catbalogan City, Samar on Friday, destroying 13 houses and leaving 19 families without homes. The blaze occurred during the peak observance of Undas, when thousands of Filipinos visit cemeteries and memorial sites to honor their deceased.
The incident in Catbalogan was among several fire-related emergencies reported across Eastern Visayas during the holiday period. In Leyte province, authorities responded to a smaller fire at a cemetery in Tanauan, while structural damage was reported at a mausoleum in Jaro.
Local disaster management officials in the region were stretched thin managing multiple calls related to fires and safety hazards as crowds gathered at burial grounds throughout Eastern Visayas. The causes of the various incidents remain under investigation.
No immediate reports of casualties were provided, though the Catbalogan fire resulted in significant property damage and displacement. Authorities have begun assessing relief assistance needed for the affected families.