15 dead in Quezon City fire

Belmonte vows thorough probe

MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte ordered a thorough investigation into a fire that killed at least 15 people at a residential area in Barangay Tandang Sora yesterday. Among the fatalities were house owner Michael Cavilte, 44, his three-year-old niece and the child’s mother Maria Micaela Ysabella Barbin, 23.

The other fatalities were employees Wilmar Ritual, 25; Raffy Barrientos, 25; Julius Abarca, 20; Alfred Manuel, 23; Jayson Dominguez, 22; Carmina Abalos, 33; Teresa Cruz, 25; Clarisse Encado, 25; Diane Lopinal, 24, and three women known only as Miya, Irene and Daisy.

Cavilte’s brother, 25-year-old Erick John, and two other employees survived with injuries.

The victims were trapped inside a two-story residential building being used as a clothes manufacturing site. Arson probers said the fire, which reached first alarm, broke out at around 5:30 a.m.

Investigators said they have yet to determine the cause of the fire.

Citing an account of one of the survivors, Bureau of Fire Protection National Capital Region director Chief Superintendent Nahum Tarroza said the blaze originated on the first floor of the building, which was the only entry and exit point.

With nowhere else to go, Tarroza said the victims were trapped as the fire razed the house, with most of the fatalities found along the aisle. The survivors escaped by jumping from the windows.

Violations

At a press briefing, Belmonte said the city government found several violations on the part of Cavilte, who registered his business using his residential address.

Investigators found that the house was being used as a trading company of ready-to-wear goods, contrary to the owner’s declaration that only 15 square meters of the property was being used as a business office.

Only three employees were declared to the city government, but initial reports indicated that most of the fatalities were on-site workers for what Belmonte described as something similar to a “sweatshop.”

The mayor said Cavilte also violated the building code as there was no building permit for the structure. The fire clearance expired last year but was not renewed.

Although Cavilte was among those who died in the fire, Belmonte said charges may be filed against four other incorporators of the company.

An internal probe will be conducted to determine possible lapses of local offices in charge of regulating these kinds of establishments, she said.

“We want to assure the public, especially the families of the victims, that we will conduct a thorough probe to hold accountable the agencies or individuals that may have committed lapses that led to this incident,” Belmonte said in Filipino.

She also committed to implement additional policies to prevent a repeat of the incident.

Belmonte said the city’s Social Services Development Department is coordinating with the families of the victims to provide assistance.

“The local government is ready to give additional services that the families may need,” she said.