3 dead in Navotas blaze

An unattended electric turbo broiler triggered a fire which left at least three persons dead and some 300 families homeless in a densely populated area yesterday afternoon in Navotas.

Arson investigator FO3 Domingo Gustillo of the Navotas Fire Station, in his report to the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO), identified the fatalities as 50-year-old Tessie Bautista and her two grandchildren Christine Mae and Emmanuel, both surnamed Ramile.

The two children initially reported as "Lenlen" and "Jayjay" were found in a tight embrace inside a cabinet, their bodies charred beyond recognition. Bautista’s body was found inside the water closet of the bath room.

PO2 Jose Bonifacio, SOCO officer, said the parents of the two children, who were still in a state of shock, could not yet accept the death of their kids and refused to talk.

"Hindi patay ang anak namin. Hindi sila yan," the mother was quoted by arson probers as saying.

Reports said a number of injured residents were rushed to the nearby hospitals. Their identifies were not immediately known.

Bonifacio said the fire that started around 12:25 p.m. inside the house of Bautista at 533 Cadorniko street, Barangay Bagong Bayan, North Bay Boulevard South (NBBS) was contained almost three hours later.

Reports said almost a hundred houses were razed as the fire, fanned by the winds, quickly engulfed adjoining structures before firefighters could completely control it. The firefighters blamed the narrow alleys leading to the fire scene for their inability to quickly put out the fire.

Authorities estimated the damage to properties at P20-million

Prior to the fire, witnesses said they heard a mild explosion which was suddenly followed by very thick smoke coming from Bautista’s house. They said Bautista has been cooking chicken using an electric turbo broiler.

Arson probers theorized that Bautista could have panicked, and instead of running away from the burning house with her two grandchildren, she hid the children inside a wardrobe cabinet.

In Muntinlupa City, a fire razed several squatter shanties located near the South Luzon Tollway (SLT) yesterday afternoon.

As of press time, there were no reported injuries or casualties.

The incident caused heavy traffic on the southbound lane of the SLT as firetrucks were parked along the busy expressway.

The traffic congestion eased up at 6 p.m., said Orly Lanuza, radio operator of the Philippine National Construction Corp. (PNCC).

Initial investigation showed that the fire started at around 1:25 p.m. at a squatters’ colony in Soldiers Hills, Barangay Putatan.

The fire, which reached the fifth alarm, was declared out at 2:42 p.m.

As of press time, arson investigators are still determining the cause of the fire. – With Nikko Dizon