Fireman, guard hurt in Quiapo fire

A fireman and a security guard were injured when a one-hour fire razed a five-door apartment row in Quiapo, Manila yesterday morning.

Arson investigator Lords Hernandez identified the injured as Senior Fire Officer 1 Romulo Santos of the Sampaloc fire station and Eduardo Balenton, a guard at the Le Ruf Square building located adjacent to the rows of apartment where the fire originated.

Hernandez said Santos sustained a laceration on the head after he was hit by a collapsed beam of the burning structure. Balenton suffered a cut on his left hand due to water pressure when he opened a fire hydrant. Both were declared out of danger.

Hernandez said the fire started at around 9:47 a.m. at the second floor in one of the rows of apartment reportedly owned by a certain Tan Hang Ko, along Arlequi street. The fire rapidly spread to adjacent apartments reaching fourth alarm. The nearby Le Ruf Square building was also partially gutted by fire.

The fire was finally put out at 10:27 a.m. Damage to property was placed at P1.2 million. Hernandez said the fire may have probably been caused by faulty electrical wiring. – Nestor Etolle