Four injured in Mandaluyong fire

A septuagenarian and three others were injured in a two-hour fire that destroyed 30 houses and rendered at least 90 families homeless in Mandaluyong City yesterday.

Seventy-year-old Teresita Posada, Tony Acordon, Benedict Rivera and Alfred Tosa – all residents of Block 10 Welfareville Compound in Barangay Addition Hills – were hit by falling debris while trying to save their belongings from their burning houses, firemen said.

They were sent home after receiving treatment at a hospital.

Investigators said the fire started in the house of Fe Recon, in Block 7 of the said barangay, at 10 a.m.

Mandaluyong City police chief Superintendent Ericson Velasquez said strong winds spread the fire to the other houses in the compound, which is a squatter’s area.

Narrow streets prevented responding firemen from coming near the fire, which was declared under control at about 12:30 p.m. Probers are still investigating what caused the fire.

Meanwhile, flames destroyed the uppermost floor of the abandoned Philcomcen building along Ortigas Avenue in Pasig City Sunday.

Arson investigators said workers were using an acetylene torch to dismantle the transmission tower left behind by a radio station when the fire suddenly broke out. Nobody was injured during the incident. – Non Alquitran