9 rescued from burning building in Caloocan

Nine persons, including an 84-year-old woman and four minors, were rescued by firefighters in a fire that gutted a four-story building early yesterday in Caloocan City.

Caloocan fire marshal Chief Inspector Juan Reyes identified those rescued as Emerlita Libiran, 84; brothers Ryan, 8, Ralph Ren, 13, Rodelio, 19, and Rowaldo, 24, all surnamed Martinez; Lovely Nepomuceno, 16; Betsy Santos, 14; Rogelio Libiran, 67; and Charity Villar 22, all of 55 A. Mabini street corner P. Zamora street Barangay 15, Caloocan City.

Libiran and Villar were rushed to hospitals after they complained of difficulty in breathing. Both are now safe, Reyes said.

No one else was reported or injured in the two-hour fire.

The cause of the fire, which broke out at 2:22 a.m., was initially traced to faulty electrical wiring.

The blaze started at the ground floor, which was occupied by a videoke bar and restaurant . The second and third floors were residential.

Some of the occupants of the higher floors failed to flee to safety as thick smoke and intense heat prevented them from using the stairs. The building’s fire exits were reportedly padlocked.

Firemen used ladders and destroyed the iron grills of the windows to rescue trapped tenants.

The fire was declared out by 4:15 a.m. even as the victims, who mostly suffered from smoke inhalation, were taken to the nearest hospitals.

Quick action by firefighters prevented the fire from spreading to nearby houses and commercial establishments.

Reyes initially placed damage at P1.5 million. – Jerry Botial, Pete Laude