Father, son die in blaze

A Chinese- Filipino and his 12-year-old son were killed after they were trapped in a fire that razed a neighborhood in Binondo, Manila early yesterday.

The charred remains of Jimmy Yu, 40, and his son Jimboy were recovered by firefighters during clearing operations past 8 a.m., according to arson investigator FO2 Lords Hernandez.

Hernandez said the father initially rescued three of his children, then went back when he noticed that his 12-year-old child was still missing.

Father and son never made it out alive and firefighters later found their charred bodies in an embrace under the rubble.

The fire gutted 20 structures and left 250 people homeless in Manila’s Chinatown district.

Arson investigators suspect faulty electrical wiring as the possible cause of the seven-hour blaze.

Yu’s wife Arlene suffered burns on her face when she tried to rescue her family.

The three other Yu children managed to escape the raging fire.

Arlene could not be questioned as of press time as she was still hysterical.

The fire reportedly started at around 1:54 a.m. on the second floor of a two-story residential structure at a compound along M. de Santos Street, Binondo.

The compound houses 20 other small shanties made of light materials.

The fire immediately spread and razed 15 houses and 12 units of a nearby condominium building.

The fire reached fifth alarm and was declared put out at 8:26 a.m.

Residents complained that lack of water in the area hampered the work of firefighters.

Firemen had difficulty using a water hydrant due to the presence of parked vehicles around the area, according to Binondo police station chief Superintendent Nelson Yabut.

Police had to cordon off the area following the reported presence of suspected looters. No arrests were made.

Arson investigators are still determining the cause of the fire. Damage to property was placed at P500,000.