Valenzuela fire leaves 150 families homeless

MANILA, Philippines - A fire of still unknown origin broke out at a squatter’s colony in Barangay Malanday, Valenzuela City before dawn yesterday, destroying at least 80 houses and rendering 150 families homeless.

Three residents – Susan Magiangit, 34; Paolo Garcia, 23; and eight-year-old John Lloyd Belarmina – sustained minor burns and scratches while fleeing.

“The destroyed houses were built on muddy ground and residents there used improvised footbridges made from salvaged woods and bamboos to pass through. It was very difficult for our firefighters to penetrate the burning area,” Valenzuela City fire marshal Superintendent Agapito Nacario told The STAR.

The fire started at around 4 a.m. and destroyed P10 million worth of properties until it was put out two hours later.

Nacario said their 20 firetrucks could not also easily enter San Andres street because aside from being narrow, “residents were very unruly… some of them even tried to grab fire hoses from my men.”

Fire Officer 2 Jorge Deguia said the fire started at a shanty owned by couple Nestor and Jocelyn Cabrito.

Valenzuela City arson investigators were still trying to determine yesterday the exact cause of the blaze. – Pete Laude