Fire leaves 40 families homeless

At least 40 families were left homeless after a fire razed some 20 houses in a squatters area in Quezon City last Monday afternoon.

The blaze was caused by an unattended iron which overheated.

Fire Officer 4 Jose Nagpacan said the fire broke out at around 5:40 p.m. on the second floor of a house on Makabayan street, Barangay Obrero, Tomas Morato.

The fire immediately spread to neighboring houses, which were mostly made of light construction materials .

Responding firemen had difficulty putting out the blaze because firetrucks could not enter the narrow streets in the area.

A fire-out was declared at around 8:40 p.m.

Allan Dipos, 23, sustained a cut in the foot after he stepped on a protruding galvanized sheet while trying to save appliances from his house.

All families affected by the fire were evacuated to the Barangay Obrero plaza.