3 workers rescued from burning factory

MANILA, Philippines - Three helpers, including a 17-year-old girl, were almost roasted alive in a factory in Quezon City that caught fire Sunday night.

Barangay Del Monte village officials rescued the three workers, said Superintendent Jesus Balingasa Jr., commander of the Quezon City Police District-Station 2.

According to Balingasa, the girl and helpers Sonny Perez and Ryan Abugade were accompanied to the police station by village officials after the incident.

The girl claimed their employer locked them in the factory, which makes components for videoke machines, Balingasa said.

“No formal charge has been filed yet with us. They just had the incident put on record when they came here,” he said. Should the girl decide to press charges, Balingasa said their employer could be slapped with a case of frustrated homicide.

He said the fire broke out at around 8:30 p.m. in the three-storey building located near the village hall.

According to Balingasa, it was still not clear why the employees were allegedly locked up inside the shop, but a television report quoted the girl as saying that their employer did not want burglars breaking into the factory.

Balingasa said the employer, identified as Antonio Wong, has sent a lawyer who denied the girl’s allegations.

Police official said firefighters put out the fire about 30 minutes later. “The factory had fire walls and so the flames did not spread to affect other residences around it,” Balingasa said.   – Reinir Padua