1,000 homeless in Navotas fire

Some 1,000 families were rendered homeless in a fire that struck a densely populated barangay in the coastal town of Navotas at around midnight yesterday.

Two people were hurt and 300 houses were destroyed in the fire, which was initially blamed on an unattended candle.

SFO2 Jose Zaldy Arbajado, arson prober, said fire broke out at the house of Segundino Baldon, 57 and his wife Lucila, 51, on Cruz street, Tangos, Navotas, while they lay asleep.

Arbajado said the two, who were found unconscious on the floor as the fire raged, were overwhelmed by thick smoke and remained trapped until firefighters rushed into their burning house to save them.

The two were taken to the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center for treatment of severe burns in different parts of the body.

The fire was declared out at 4 a.m.

Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco expressed gratitude to the different fire volunteer groups that responded to the fire, particularly the marine firefighting unit of the Philippine Coast Guard, which battled the blaze from the river. The PCG firefighters were able to position themselves in areas that could not be reached by firetrucks on land because of the narrow alleys and passageways.

Tiangco, following the approval of the Sanggunian’s resolution to declare a state of calamity in the area, ordered the release of a financial assistance of P1,000 under Oplan Damayan sa Nasunugan for each of the affected families in Barangay Tangos.

The mayor likewise instructed all concerned departments to set up assistance and information centers in two evacuation areas. Classes at the Tangos National High School and Tangos Elementary School were suspended indefinitely to accommodate the affected families.

The local Social Welfare Department was tasked with distributing food to the victims even as the Health Department set up medical booths with doctors and other health personnel. An ambulance stood on standby to administer to patients.

The Engineering Office, in close coordination with Meralco, is working double time to ensure that power is restored to the affected area.

The Public Information Office (PIO) has set up an Oplan Damayan booth at the town hall’s lobby where people can donate rice, canned goods and clothing. — With Pete Laude