16 hurt in Caloocan market fire

At least 16 persons, including five firemen were hospitalized after a pre-dawn fire which razed a public market yesterday in Caloocan City.

Caloocan Fire Marshall Chief Inspector Agapito Nacario said the estimated damage to property was placed at P10-million. The one-and-a-half-hour fire, which gutted about a third of the market, was declared out at 2:45 a.m.

Stall owners at the Poblacion Public Market on 10th Avenue claimed the fire could have been intentionally set so that they would be "forced to vacate" the place as it has been set for demolition to give way to a P178-million new multi-story public market. The new market is to be financed by the city government, the private and the public sectors through a "bond flotation" scheme.

The firefighters who were hospitalized were identified as Senior Fire Officers 1 Bartolo Boado and Enrico Valerio, Fire Officer 2 Richard Dionisio, Fire Officers 1 Alfredo Santos and Arnel Cabasal.

A stall owner, identified only as a "Guevara" was rushed to the Caloocan City General Hospital after he was hit in the head by burning debris.

About 10 other injured fire volunteers, who were also given first-aid treatment, were not immediately identified.

According to Nacario, the blaze started at around 1:15 a.m. at a stockroom of Pedro Mendoza, inside the market.

The affected firemen and volunteers complained of dizziness and nausea after inhaling an unknown chemical substance "emitting foul odor" from the burning public market, said Nacario who rushed to the fire scene. — Jerry Botial