Fires hit Pasig shantytown, Manila computer school

MANILA, Philippines - Three fires broke out in Pasig City and Manila starting Monday afternoon, razing a squatter’s area and destroying a computer school branch.

A fire believed caused by faulty electrical wiring hit a squatters’ area in Pasig City Monday night, destroying at least 50 houses and displacing some 300 people.

Nobody was hurt in fire, which lasted more than an hour and damaged about P1 million worth of property.

Initial reports stated the fire started at the house of a certain Virgie Pangilinan on Malvar street in Barangay San Antonio at about 8:38 p.m.

“Majority of the fire victims were not able to retrieve their personal belongings, pieces of furniture and electronic equipment because the fire quickly spread in the neighborhood,” said a firefighter.

Responding firemen put the fire under control at 9:53 p.m. At least 300 persons who lost their homes in the fire were given shelter at the covered basketball court of the nearby University of the Asia Pacific.

Officials of Barangay San Antonio are appealing to the government and the private sector to donate food and basic commodities.

The fire victims said it would be hard for them to send their children to school this June because they are homeless and they have no money to meet school expenses.

Meanwhile, two fires hit Sampaloc, Manila yesterday, destroying properties worth P1.3 million, including that of a computer school.

No person was reported injured in the twin fires, which occurred six hours apart.

The first fire broke out at around 5:30 p.m. Monday at a two-story house owned by one Lolita Estabillo on Miguelin street in Sampaloc. The fire reached the third alarm and razed five other houses before it was put out at 6:10 p.m., according to arson investigator SFO2 Emmanuel Gaspar.

At around 1:58 a.m. yesterday a fire of still undetermined origin hit the two-story Heusy Yang Complex building along C.M. Recto Avenue. The building, reportedly owned by Robert Yeung, houses the Informatics Computer Institute. The fire reportedly started at the second floor of the building, Gaspar said.

The fire reached the fourth alarm before it was placed under control at 2:14 a.m. Damage to property was placed at P1 million. – Non Alquitran, Nestor Etolle