Fire razes 1,500 Quezon City homes

A man suffering from polio was killed after a fire razed through a thickly populated area in Quezon City on Saturday night.

Investigator on case Fire Officer 3 Fortunato Alde identified the victim as Lorenzo Galvez, 61, of G-513 Capricorn Street, Sitio San Roque, Barangay Bagong Pag-asa.

Alde said Galvez, who was trapped by flames and thick smoke inside his house, was already severely burned when he was found by firefighters.

Alde said eight other people were sent to the East Avenue Hospital for treatment of minor injuries but were released later.

The blaze also destroyed 1,500 houses and left at least 2,000 families homeless.The affected families were relocated by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to various relocation centers.

Initial investigation showed that the fire started at the second floor of a two-story house owned by Rosario Fuentes, located at J-503 Aries Street, Sitio San Roque, Barangay Bagong Pag-asa at around 9:54 p.m.

The second floor of the house was reportedly being rented by Lina Nacino, 61.

According to Alde, Nacino left a candle unattended when she went out of the house to buy kerosene at a nearby store. Fuentes’ house and two other nearby houses have reportedly been without electricity for sometime now.

Alde said the fire quickly spread to nearby houses that were mostly built of light materials. The fire reached the general alarm and sent firefighters and fire engines from across Metro Manila rushing to the scene.

The fire was placed under control at about 2:25 a.m. yesterday morning and was declared out at 5:10 a.m.

Arson has been ruled out by investigators at the moment but Alde said they have invited Nacino for questioning regarding the incident. Investigators are still assessing the cost of the damage caused by the fire.

"We have witnesses who said they have heard people shouting as if quarreling shortly before the fire happened. But at the moment, we do not have enough evidence to support a possible arson angle," said Alde.