Fire razes Marikina public market

MANILA, Philippines - A two-hour fire hit a public market in Barangay Concepcion Uno in Marikina City Monday night, destroying an estimated P5 million in property.

No one was injured in the fire that arson investigators said could have been caused by faulty electrical wiring.

Superintendent Marcos Valen, Marikina City fire marshal, said the fire started at a stall selling slippers in the dry goods section of the Concepcion Public Market at about 10:50 p.m. Monday.

Strong winds fanned the fire toward adjacent stalls and a warehouse containing some 1,000 sacks of rice, which had just been delivered.

The fire reached Task Force Alpha, meaning firefighters from Marikina City and nearby municipalities and cities responded to the blaze.

The fire was declared under control at about 12:33 a.m. yesterday.

Affected stallholders asked Valen to investigate the cause of the fire amid reports that the public market is for sale.