Fire guts 2-level house in Tondo

A fire of still unknown origin gutted a two-story house in Tondo, Manila Sunday morning killing a 55-year-old man and destroying some P1 million worth of properties.

Feliciano Pantaleon, who was living under the care of his sister-in-law and nephew at 2037 Varona st., Tondo, was burned beyond recognition according to Fire Officer 2 Guillermo Fermalino.

The fire reportedly started at 9:11 a.m. reaching the fifth alarm before it was put out at 10:05 a.m. The hour-long blaze also burned neighboring houses destroying properties worth P1 million.

"We still do not know how the fire started but we were told that Feliciano had some mental problems," said Fermalino. The victim was at the time reportedly alone in his room, where the fire originated.

Feliciano’s sister-in-law was out of the house when the fire started while his nephew, Police Officer 2 Christopher Pantaleon, of the Manila police, was the only one with him in the house.