Fire hits Pasay barangay anew

Some 100 families were left homeless following a fire at a residential area in Balagbag, Pasay City yesterday morning, the second to hit the area in three days.

Last Tueday, 25 houses were razed, leaving 40 families homeless, in a five-hour fire. The first fire took place some 500 meters from yesterday’s blaze.

Fire Officer 3 Renato Recto, arson investigator, said the fire that took place along Kilometer 12 in Balagbag, Barangay 201, Zone 50 yesterday started at around 4:55 a.m. and quickly reached alert level Task Force Charlie by 5:20 a.m. No one was reportedly injured.

"Biglaan nagkaroon ng sunog. Some 30 government firetrucks and 23 fire volunteer brigades in Metro Manila responded to stop the blaze from spreading further. It was placed under control by 6:04 a.m. and was put out by 8:30 a.m.," F03 Recto said.

Firefighters protected a nearby Caltex gas station, which could have exploded and resulted in tragedy. The fire struck an area just behind the gas station and a public market.

Some 50 houses were damaged or destroyed. Affected families were temporarily sheltered at a nearby basketball court.

The blaze started from the house being rented out by one Melva Rebato, who is currently in Tacloban. Based on initial investigation, the fire started from a room on the second floor of the house.

"Rebato leased it to some tenants, but the neighbors do not know them. The tenants may have forgotten to turn off their electrical appliances," F03 Recto said.

Senior Fire Officer 1 Alfredo Delfin, arson investigator of the Pasay City Fire Department, said last Tuesday’s fire along Kilometer 12 began at 2:46 p.m.

The fire gutted 25 homes and seven establishments, including a beauty parlor, an auto supply shop, an auto repair shop and rattan products shop. The establishments were located along the South Superhighway.