Las Piñas fire razes 575 homes

1 dead, 7 hurt

MANILA, Philippines — A five-hour fire destroyed around 575 homes, leaving more than 1,000 families homeless, in two barangays in Las Piñas City before dawn yesterday.

The fire left one person dead and seven others injured. All of them have yet to be identified.

The body was found at around 11 a.m., more than seven hours after the fire started at around 2:45 a.m.

Six victims were hit by pieces of burning wood while a resident suffered burns on his arms when he tried to save some of his belongings, fire investigators said.

The blaze started at the house of Marilyn Cura in Phase 1, Laong Compound in Barangay Almanza Uno, according to Senior Inspector Pena Borlad of the city’s fire bureau.

Cura was reportedly cooking rice using firewood when the fire broke out.

The fire quickly spread, engulfing around 575 houses made of light materials in Laong Compound in Barangay Almanza Uno and Sampaguita Compound in Barangay Pilar Village.

The fire reached fifth alarm before it was put out at past 7 a.m., according to official reports.

The fire damaged around P1.5 million worth of property, officials said.

Displaced residents sought shelter at nearby barangay covered courts and Almanza Uno’s barangay hall as they waited for help from the city government.

Firefighters reported they had difficulty with the narrow streets and lack of fire hydrants.