3 workers die in Manila fire

MANILA, Philippines — Three persons earlier reported missing were confirmed dead in a fire that broke out at a commercial building along Blumentritt Road in Sta. Cruz, Manila before dawn yesterday.

Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) personnel recovered the remains of Zardy Luna, Angelito Jumares and Dennis Magdaet among the debris.

The victims were reportedly workers for Charipp Trading, a shop that sold linoleum, school supplies and curtains.

Witnesses said the fire started at around 3:08 a.m. Firefighters said the blaze reached third alarm, but was declared under control an hour later.

The three workers, who were sleeping at the third floor of the shop, rushed to the ground floor when the fire started.

The mezzanine collapsed while they were trying to squeeze through a window, which was the remaining exit on the ground floor, firefighters reported.

A fire hit the same building in 1997, they said.

‘Wiring issue’ disrupts classes in FEU

Meanwhile, classes in one building at the Far Eastern University (FEU) campus in Manila were suspended yesterday.

In an announcement on its social media accounts, the FEU said a fire broke out at the science building at around 10:50 a.m. due to an “isolated wiring issue.”

“No major damage was incurred and all students were safely evacuated but safety checks will be made throughout the day,” it said.

“Classes in the other FEU buildings are ongoing and will push through as scheduled,” it added.

The university did not provide additional details regarding the incident. It has yet to announce when classes at the building will resume.

Wiring issues had been previously cited as a reason for some fire incidents in schools, including those that razed the faculty center and shopping center at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City in 2016 and earlier this year, respectively.

In 2016, three buildings of the University of the East in Manila were also razed by a fire reportedly caused by ongoing welding work. – With Janvic Mateo