Over 100 shanties razed in Munti fire

A fire said to have started from the house of a suspected drug dependent couple razed about 100 shanties in Alabang, Muntinlupa Wednesday night.

There were no reported casualties, authorities said.

The fire reached Task Force Delta and was put out only at 5 a.m. yesterday, according to Senior Fire Officer (SFO) 4 Julian Pasion of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) District 3 office.

Initial investigation showed the fire broke out at around 11:35 p.m. at the house of one Marlyn Banal located in Sitio Masagana, Barangay Alabang.

Arson investigators led by SFO3 Renato Santiago are still determining the cause of the fire.

But unconfirmed reports indicated the fire was caused by a candle left unattended which accidentally fell to the floor, said Tez Valencia, Muntinlupa City information officer.

Valencia added that police are now trying to locate Banal and her husband after neighbors reported that the couple are drug dependents and regularly hold pot sessions inside their house.

Banal’s neighbors alleged that the couple could have used the candle for another one of their pot sessions, then left the house, Valencia said. Last Wednesday’s incident was also reportedly the third time that a fire started in the Banal house. The other two were quickly put out, Valencia said. – Nikko Dizon