Couple injured in QC fire

A couple was injured after jumping from the second floor of their burning building in Quezon City early morning yesterday.

Some P1.5-million worth of properties were destroyed when the blaze gutted the two-storey building owned by Allan and Joan Benjamin and damaged an adjacent house in Barangay Old Balara.

Arson investigator Senior Fire Officer 1 Fortunato Alde said the Benjamins were brought to the East Avenue Medical Center for treatment of dislocated hip bones, bruises and lacerations. He said they were already out of danger.

According to Alde, the Benjamins’ property is divided into their house, an eatery, a pharmacy and a photography shop.

Alde said the fire started at past 3 a.m. at the ground floor of the Benjamins’ property. It was put out at 4:36 a.m.

Investigators were still determining the cause of the blaze but in a television interview yesterday morning, Bureau of Fire Protection director for Metro Manila Senior Superintendent Pablito Cordeta said he suspects it may have been caused by appliances that overheated.         – Reinir Padua