1 dead in Makati fire

A 35-year-old man died while trying to save his belongings inside a burning house in Makati City yesterday morning.

Superintendent Arsenio Tabajonda, Makati City fire marshal, said Michael Sartou was found dead near the doorway of an old house at 1635 D. Benito street in Barangay Kasilawan. He was a tenant of the house owned by a barangay official.

The Makati City fire station said the blaze started at 9:55 a.m. and reached the first alarm five minutes later.

Firefighters succeeded in putting out the blaze by 11 a.m., but not before fire totally destroyed the house and damaged an apartment building.

Tabajonda said eight families were affected by the blaze.

"The victim was seen going in and out of the house to save his belongings when the fire started. It was only later that we discovered his body near the doorway. He suffered third degree burns," he said. — Evelyn Macairan