No lives were lost in the second fire of the year to occur in the province of the Catanduanes, with the Bato incident blamed on a short circuit caused by a substandard extension wire.
According to the report of Acting Municipal Fire Marshal Insp. Danilo Tayobana, the Jan. 12 fire began at the bedroom of the house occupied by the family of Noel Lopez.
A member of the Bato police station, PSSg Angie Timbal immediately called the Bato fire station, with the fire engine responding to the emergency that reached first alarm.
Under the direction of Insp. Tayobana as ground commander, the blaze at 4D San Ramon St. in barangay Cabugao was declared fire out at 3:10 PM.
The report stated that the fire incident is accidental in nature as it was caused by the arcing of the substandard extension wire, with the sparks igniting flammable cloth nearby.