3 fires hit Metro after blackout

Three consecutive fires broke out yesterday in Makati City, Taguig and Pasay City as a result of the day-long blackout that hit Metro Manila Friday, fire officials said.

The first fire occurred at around 2:05 a.m. inside the MACDA compound in J.P. Rizal Extension, Barangay Cembo, Makati City.

Fire officials said the fire started at the house of a certain Tubog Banua inside the MACDA compound.

The fire spread out to nearby residential areas where around 100 families reportedly lost their homes.

Most of the affected families are now temporarily housed at the Cembo Elementary School to spend the night. It took the firemen almost two hours to control the fire which resulted in the loss of an estimated P5 million worth of property.

At around 3:35 a.m. a garments factory in Barangay Upper Bicutan, Taguig was razed. Based on the preliminary investigation of the Taguig fire department, the fire must have started at around 1 a.m. yesterday when power was restored in the municipality.

The surge in electricity could have triggered a short-circuit of electrical units inside the factory that might have been unintentionally left on during the blackout. An estimated P1 million worth of property was lost in the blaze.

The third fire was reported at the Baclaran Light Railway Transit (LRT) station area where around P100 million worth of property was engulfed by flames.

According to the report, the incident took place at around 4:40 a.m. yesterday inside the Mega Plex Building, spreading to the commercial center and to some of the stalls located along the LRT station on Taft Avenue, Pasay City.

Investigators on all three incidents agreed that the long blackout was most likely the cause of the fires because of the lack of safety measures installed in most homes and establishments.