At least 500 families were left homeless following a three-hour fire that spread through a shantytown at the corner of E. Rodriguez and Araneta Avenues in Quezon City early morning yesterday.
City fire marshal Chief Inspector Oscar Villegas told The STAR “the fire broke out from the house of a certain Vince Castillo at the Esso Compound” at around 5:30 a.m. Villegas said firefighters were able to put out the fire three hours later because of the squatter colony’s narrow alleys. Several liquefied petroleum gas tanks exploded in the compound at the height of the fire. There were no casualties.
According to radio reports, residents at the compound said a toppled candle might have started the blaze.
“We are still investigating the cause of the fire,” Villegas said. – Perseus Echeminada