Fire guts 18 firecracker stores in Leyte town
By MELANIE BINGCO, ABS-CBN Tacloban News Bureau | 12/26/2008 4:59 PM
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ABUYOG, Leyte – Several firecracker stalls in Abuyog Public Market turned to ashes on Christmas day after being gutted by fire at 1:30 a.m.
Firefighters said a total of 18 stalls were destroyed in the fire with damages estimated at around P500,000.
Authorities said the fire started from a lighted "kwitis" that reportedly spread to dangerous firecrackers hidden under the stalls.
"We just found out that they were not only selling fountain and piccolo as displayed, but were hiding the illegal ones," said Senior Inspector Ismael Lantajo, Abuyog police chief.
He said the police have intensified its monitoring to avoid entry of the banned firecrackers.
