Navotas blaze razes 500 homes

A lighted candle left behind after a sniffing session by shabu addicts in a rundown shack was believed to have caused a fire that raged uncontrolled for over six hours and razed 500 shanties shortly after midnight yesterday in Navotas.

SFO1 Zaldy Bajado, arson investigator on case, said no one was reported killed or injured in the conflagration even as investigators are still trying to establish the origin of the fire.

Angry residents, meanwhile, blamed shabu addicts in their neighborhood for the fire.

"Yang mga tinamaan ng lintik na ‘yan ang may gawa niyan. Iniwanan na naman ang mga kandilang ginamit nila pagkatapos bumatak ng shabu," a 35-year-old man, who lost his home in the fire, complained.

FO2 Rolando Rivera, Navotas Fire Station arson investigator, said a dead man, identified as Babelito Borlongan, 34, who was being given a funeral wake in the neighborhood, was left behind in the confusion and was later found by relatives charred beyond recognition, cadaver, coffin and all.

"Iniwanan na lang nang sumiklab ang apoy. Nagkatarantahan na. Noong binalikan ng mga kamag-anak pagkatapos ng sunog, nakitang sunog na sunog na ito na parang cremated," the officer said.

Rivera said the fire started at around 12:02 a.m. at Apugan and V. Cruz streets in Barangay Tangos, Navotas and was declared out only by 6:43 a.m. yesterday.

He said firefighters had difficulty battling the fire because of the narrow alleyways which prevented the fire-trucks from gaining access to the houses on fire.

In Valenzuela City, a makeshift structure that served as a pig-pen, junk shop and workers’ barracks was hit by a fire early yesterday.

SFO2 William Despuig said that the blaze broke out inside the barracks of a structure owned by Violeta Magdula at 24 Ulingan East, Barangay Lawang Bato at around 5 a.m.

Two adjacent houses owned by Fernando Que and Dionisto Ruales were also destroyed.

"Nobody was reported hurt in the blaze that was put out almost an hour later. At least three pigs that were trapped inside their pen were roasted, FO2 Melchor Gonzales said.