Malabon fire leaves 2,000 homeless

Some 2,000 informal settlers were rendered homeless in a three-hour fire that broke out in a thickly populated area yesterday morning in Malabon City. Authorities initially estimated damage at P15 million.

FO2 Aldrino Torres of the Malabon Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said the fire was triggered by a liquefied petroleum gas tank that exploded in the house of one Milagros Bautista on Macopa Road, Potrero Malabon.

Authorities said no one was injured or killed in the fire that raged for some three hours before it was put out.

Arson probers said the fire began at 8:10 a.m. and quickly spread to adjoining houses, razing to the ground about 700 of them.

Witnesses told probers they first saw smoke billowing from Bautista’s house moment after they heard an explosion. Luckily the members of the Bautista household managed to escape unhurt, investigators said. Firefighters quickly responded and eventually put out the fire at around 10:25 a.m. – Jerry Botial