Fire razes coastal shanties

An estimated P50 million worth of property went up in smoke yesterday in Tambo, Parañaque City, in a blaze allegedly triggered by a four-year-old boy playing with a disposable lighter.

No one was reported injured or killed in the fire that lasted for at least three hours and razed about 50 homes, including squatter shanties, to the ground.

Initial investigation showed that the fire started at about 1:27 p.m. at a house owned by one Carmela Saracse, located at Seaside Square along Coastal Road.

Saracse’s four-year-old son was allegedly playing with a lighter in one of the rooms on the second floor, said Supt. Leonides Perez, Paranaque City fire marshall.

Perez said the occupants of the house noticed that portions of the room were on fire and immediately rushed out and called up the authorities.

However, the fire quickly spread to neighboring houses. Barely half an hour later, the fire alarm was raised to Task Force Delta – at least 50 fire trucks from all over Metro Manila rushed to the scene.

The fire was put under control at about 3:49 p.m., with firefighters managing to contain the blaze and prevent it from reaching houses on three adjacent streets.