9 hurt in Virra Mall fire

Nine firemen were injured when they tried to put out a fire that partly razed the Virra Mall shopping center in Greenhills, San Juan Saturday.

Senior inspector Eloy Gabriel, San Juan fire marshal injured his knees and arms when he tripped over a water hose Saturday night.

Gabriel said that eight other firefighters, whose names are not available, nearly suffered suffocation when they tried to reach the origin of the fire without breathing apparatus.

The fire broke out at around 12 noon Saturday at a stock room of the Jollibee food outlet along Jaguar Lane on the third floor of the shopping mall.

Arson probers have not determined the cause of the fire that was contained shortly before midnight.

"All the people here are tired and have barely slept because the fire kept us busy all throughout the night. We did not want the fire to spread to other stalls," he stressed.

The amount of property damaged by the fire is believed to amount to million of pesos. – Sheila Crisostomo