Arson investigators identified the victims as Mario and Chit Ramos of No. 41 Hernandez Street in BF Homes Subdivision-Phase III.
Senior Fire Officer 2 Teodorico Gatchalian said the blaze started at around 6:45 a.m. in the couple’s bedroom and reached the second alarm.
Gatchalian said residents in the area even heard Mario shouting for help but neighbors failed to help rescue the couple trapped inside the house as the blaze consumed the house in just a few minutes. The windows and doors of the house were reportedly filled with grills, which prevented the couple from getting out.
The firefighters reportedly did not arrive on time, which prompted neighbors to call water delivery trucks to help put out the fire. The flames were contained at around 8:22 a.m.
Mario’s body was found inside the master’s bedroom while his wife‘s charred body was recovered in the bathroom.
The couple’s two sons — Dennis and Ronald — both married and are living in separate houses, were later informed of the incident.
Gatchalian said their initial investigation showed faulty electrical wiring in the couple’s bedroom as the cause of the fire.
Meanwhile, firefighters had their hands full yesterday when four fires struck separate places in Manila.
The first fire was reported in a squatter’ colony in Ulilang Kawayan, Paco at around 10:30 a.m. The fire reached Task Force Delta before it was placed under control past 1 p.m. More than 100 houses were destroyed in the fire.
At noon, another fire struck a row of residential houses along F. Cayco street in Sampaloc. The fire was put out after an hour.
Another blaze occured at Elcano street in Divisoria, which was put out at around 1:36 p.m.
Two hours later, a fire was reported along Soler street in Binondo and was still raging as of press time.
Arson investigators are still determining the total amount of damage for the four fires.
There were no report of injuries.
For the past two days, Manila has recorded six fires. Manila Fire Bureau chief Superintendent Pablito Cordeta advised residents to be on alert as fire easily ignite these days due to the intense summer heat.