Mother, child killed in six-hour QC blaze

A mother and her four-year-old child were killed while more than 300 shanties were destroyed when a fire razed a squatter colony under the C-5 flyover on Katipunan Road in Barangay Escopa III Quezon City early yesterday.

Quezon City fire marshal Chief Inspector Oscar Villegas said the fire broke out at around 1: 30 a.m. when drunk residents started throwing kerosene lamps during an argument.

The fatalities were identified as Mary Jane Abrigo, 26 and her daughter Joan Mae.

Neighbors were initially able to rescue the two, but the mother returned to their burning shanty to look for her husband Francisco and their other child.

Investigators said the two likely collapsed from the thick smoke.

Their charred bodies were recovered among the debris of one of the shanties under the flyover.

Annie Encelano, a barangay officer, said two of the suspects were collared and taken to a police station for further investigation.

She said Barangay Captain Delia Bongbonga has coordinated with Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. to assist affected families. They are now temporarily sheltered at the barangay basketball court.

In Las Piñas City, fire hit a furniture warehouse, destroying some P5 million worth of property.

Fire Officer 1 Agustin Enabe said the fire started at around 3:03 a.m. at the assembly section of the Georgian Lane warehouse on Marcos Alvarez Avenue in Barangay Talon Uno. Flames spread quickly to other parts of the warehouse.

Arson investigator Senior Fire Officer 3 Noel Consignado said the fire was declared out at around 7:40 a.m.

No one was hurt in the blaze, which reached Task Force Bravo.