April 22, 2024. Monday. It is customary for Parish staff to take a break from the heavy responsibilities of maintaining a vibrant Parish. The church and the entrance to the rectory are closed for the day. Only workers, busy with renovations and upgrades, were present that day. They broke for lunch, then a fire broke out.
Around 11:54 a.m., the Ilagan City Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) received a call. Ilagan Cathedral, classified as a heritage site, formerly the Cathedral of the Diocese, is on fire. Firefighters arrived within minutes.
They arrived just when the fire from inside the Church was at its strongest. The fibrous material of the ceilings, and the wooden slats holding them up, allowed the fire to rage. The support of firefighters from the Province, the towns of Gamu, Naguilian, Burgos, Quirino and Tumauini, as well as the Chinese community, shows us how intense the fire was.
Glass shattered, windows seemed to explode due to pressure from the heat inside. Much of the interior was destroyed in flames. In the Sanctuary, the altar, the altar and most of the furniture were burned to cinders. What remains of the altar are the steel bars that hold the remains of the Cross in the Sanctuary. Damage estimates have yet to be determined.
Part of the altar is where the Tabernacle is located, where the Blessed Sacrament is kept. It is a pity that the Blessed Sacrament was not saved.
