2 die, 4 injured in Malabon fire

A husband and his wife died while four other persons, including a fire volunteer, were injured when a fire gutted a squatter’s colony in Tañong, Malabon Monday night.

The fire reached Task Force Echo level and razed over a hundred shanties, leaving thousands of Malabon residents homeless. Authorities estimated the damage at P12 million.

Fatality Leonardo Pagaran, 60; was reportedly trapped inside his burning house while his wife, Lourdes , 62, suffered a fatal heart attack upon learning of her husband’s death. She expired while receiving medical treatment at the Pagamutang Bayan ng Malabon.

The injured victims, Carmencita Grisol, 40; Mark Mercado, 17; and a certain Luisa, were taken to the same hospital.

The volunteer fireman, identified as Vincent Casimiro, fell from the roof of a burning shanty and sustained cuts and bruises.

Initial investigations conducted by the Bureau of Fire Protection showed that the fire started at about 3:55 p.m. The fire was declared "under control" three hours later.

Arson investigators have yet to determine the cause of the fire but witnesses said they saw smoke coming from one of the shanties.

Fire fighters from many parts of Metro Manila responded to the scene, but were dismayed to see hundreds of spectators blocking roads leading to the fire.

According to some residents, Gotesco Grand Central Fire Volunteers in Caloocan were two hours late in responding to the call. Firemen from Mandaluyong came ahead of them.

The fire quickly spread engulfing hundreds of shanties as thousands of teary-eyed residents watched helplessly from a safe distance.

Others, however, fought through the blaze to save their possessions. Some even used boats to bring their belongings to the Navotas-Malabon river.

Meanwhile, an hour after the fire in Tañong was contained, another fire hit a three-story building in Potrero, Malabon, injuring a Filipino-Chinese businessman.

The victim, identified as Shy Ching Guan, 70, a resident of the Tris Daniel commercial building, which caught fire at about 7:20 p.m.

Guan sustained first degree burns in the upper part of his body and is now receiving medical treatment at a nearby hospital.

Fire officials said the started from the third floor of the building and was possibly caused by a faulty electrical wiring.

The fire reached Task Force Alpha and was contained at about 10 p.m. An estimated P5 million worth of properties were damaged, firemen said.