Fire razes half of Malolos public market

MALOLOS CITY, Philippines – A massive fire that started Friday night and lasted till morning yesterday razed half of this city’s public market, authorities said.

No one was reported hurt in the blaze and officials estimate that at least P50 million worth of products and property were destroyed.

Mayor Christian Natividad said other markets in the city, namely the Panasahan and Atlag fishports and the Golden City commercial complex, will be utilized while municipal workers and residents clear the debris in the fire-hit public market.

Stall owners lamented their losses and accused the local fire office of not conducting a regular inspection of the public market.

Natividad said the fire started at around 9:30 p.m. Friday supposedly due to faulty electrical wiring at the frozen food section of the public market.

Citing witnesses’ accounts, Natividad said there was a spark in a stall there, but the stall’s roll-up, roll-down doors prevented other stall owners from putting it out.