Two killed, four hurt as wall collapses in Fairview

Flash floods caused a wall to collapse on five shanties in a barangay in Fairview, Quezon City last Sunday, killing a seven-month-old boy and a woman and injuring four others, relief officials said yesterday.

Three other homes near a creek were washed away after heavy rains caused the La Mesa reservoir to overflow, National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) administrator Ret. Maj. Gen. Melchor Rosales said. About 300 residents were able to evacuate.

Wilma Casis, 36, and the baby, Jimmy Macaraeg, both of the Lumontad Compound on Fairlane street in Barangay West Fairview were crushed when the concrete fence of the Fairview Elementary School fell on top of their homes at around 4 p.m. last Sunday.

Rescue workers recovered four others from the damaged houses. Two of them were identified as Cristina Pagunuran, 15, and Marissa Macaraeg, 31. They are being treated at a nearby hospital for slight injuries.

Directly hit by the floodwaters were Sitios Ruby, Sampamanay and Rabosna.

Rosales said 69 families have been evacuated by rescue teams to a nearby school and are now under the care of the city’s social services and development department.

Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. has ordered the department to provide assistance to families affected by the floods.

Teresa Mariano, city social welfare chief, said the mayor, who went to inspect the affected area, ordered the immediate evacuation of families.

"We are now providing food assistance to affected families," Mariano said.

Manuel Sabalsa, chief of the city’s public safety and order department, said rescue teams and barangay officials helped evacuate affected families.

"We have dispatched rubber boats in the area for rescue operations," Sabalsa told The STAR. He said rescue teams are still in the area to respond to any emergency.

Meanwhile, the city government has also provided immediate medical and burial assistance to the victims of an accident involving a dump truck. Five persons and sever others were hurt when the truck rammed a house in Litex the other day.

Mariano said the owner of the dump truck has also promised to provide assistance.

Apart from medical and financial assistance, the city government will also offer the services of a psychologist to help the victims cope up with the trauma. – Jaime Laude, Katherine Adraneda, Perseus Echeminada