Boy killed in Tondo blaze

A five-year-old boy was killed in a fire that gutted the Parola Compound in Tondo, Manila yesterday.

Prince Carlo Fernando was reportedly trapped inside their home and was discovered only when the blaze was put out at 11:47 a.m.

Senior Fire Officer 1 Emmanuel Gaspar said the charred body of the victim was found by firefighters at the ground floor of the house while they were conducting overhaul operations.

"People there said he was a cheerful boy and usually goes out to play early in the morning. But yesterday, he woke up late because they had a party the night before the incident. He’s probably trapped and left by his relatives," said Gaspar in a phone interview.

Probers said the fire started in the house of a certain Lucy Santos near Gate 15 of the residential area at around 10:11 a.m.

Gaspar said over 40 houses were gutted while at least 70 families were rendered homeless before the fire was put under control.

Fire officials estimated the cost of damage at P.5 million.

Gaspar said they have yet to determine the cause of the fire but said they are eyeing overloaded electric connection as one possibility. — Edu Punay