6 die in Sampaloc fire

MANILA, Philippines — Six people, including two children, died after a fire razed a four-story residential building in Sampaloc, Manila before dawn yesterday.

Three out of the six casualties were found on the ground floor, while the remaining three were on the second floor that collapsed, according to Manila Fire District (MFD) Station 5 commander Senior Inspector Cesar Babante.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has yet to release the names of the six victims that also included elderly people.

The MFD raised first alarm nine minutes after they received information on the fire incident at the building at the corner of Laong Laan and Blumentritt Streets at 2:40 a.m.

The agency elevated the blaze to second alarm at 2:50 a.m., which prompted response from 12 BFP firetrucks and 40 others from volunteer groups.

After nearly an hour of firefighting efforts, the fire was declared controlled at 3:47 a.m., and was doused at 4:24 am.

Firemen, however, struggled to extinguish the blaze because of the narrow pathway leading to the burning structure, according to radio reports.

While the building was built with concrete, the interior could have contained combustible materials such as wooden floors.

Faulty electrical wiring, particularly Christmas lights left open the whole night, could have caused to spark the fire, radio reports said, citing Babante, although he stressed that arson investigation is still ongoing.

The blaze destroyed P120,000 worth of property, as well as left nine families or 27 individuals homeless, according to the BFP.

Fire in Malabon

Meanwhile, a fire hit a warehouse in Malabon City also yesterday morning.

The fire started at 10:36 a.m. and reached third alarm, according to the BFP’s National Capital Region field unit.

Arson investigators said the fire hit a warehouse along M.H. del Pilar Street in Barangay Maysilo.

The BFP said firefighters doused the fire at 12:11 p.m.

At least 15 firetrucks responded to the scene.

The BFP has yet to receive an update from its probers if there were people injured in the fire.

The cause of the fire is the subject of a follow-up investigation. — Emmanuel Tupas