250 homes razed in Pasay blaze

Fire caused by tipped candles at a wake razed at least 250 houses in a squatters area at Riverside, Tramo in Pasay City last Wednesday night. No injuries were reported in the fire that started at the ground floor of a house owned by a certain Sheila Salayao.

Fire Officer 3 Renato Recto said the fire reached Task Force Delta.

The wake of 56-year-old William Pinasa, Salayao’s cousin, was being held at the house when children playing inside accidentally bumped into a table with several lighted candles.

The blaze spread quickly since paper and other flammable materials were being kept inside the house.

Recto said the members of the family, who are mostly scavengers, were not able bring out Pinasa’s body, which was eventually engulfed in flames. Firefighters later recovered his charred remains.

Arson investigators said the fire was contained at around 12:55 a.m.

A total of 50 firetrucks, some coming from nearby municipalities, rushed to the scene and helped put out the fire.

Twenty minutes later, another fire hit a residential area in Parañaque City.

The fire originated from a house belonging to a certain Carlos Samonte, of Sitio Galacia, Riverside, Barangay Moonwalk.

Senior Fire Officer 1 Jesus Bayani said an unattended candle inside Samonte’s house started the fire at around 9:30 p.m. Some 20 neighboring houses were destroyed.

No one was hurt in the blaze that was declared out after more than one hour.

Early yesterday, fire hit a two-storey apartment along the national road in Barangay Poblacion, Muntinlupa City.

Arson probers said the fire started at around 12:55 p.m.

Senior Fire Officer 1 Gerardo Nazareno, arson investigator, said some P1.4 million in property was destroyed.

No one was hurt in the fire, which was declared out around 3:18 p.m.