Fire razes 30 homes in Pasig

MANILA, Philippines - A two-hour fire hit a squatters area in Pasig City yesterday destroying 30 houses, rendering homeless at least 70 families and destroyed property estimated at P500,000.

The affected families have barely recovered from the onslaught of typhoon Ondoy on Sept. 26, when the fire broke out at Victoria St., Ramirez compound in Barangay Santolan at about 7:10 p.m.

Arson investigators are investigating claims by the residents that they saw “hooded” men setting their houses on fire. FO3 Carlito Banez, of the Pasig City fire department, admitted they have not identified as yet the cause of the fire as he claimed that they are probing the residents’ revelation.

Initial reports showed that the fire started in the house of a certain Albert Simon, 28, and it spread quickly to adjacent houses made of light materials.

There are also reports that children were playing with fire in the area prior to the blaze. The residents tried to put out the blaze by dousing it with pails of water but failed.

The fire reached the third alarm and firemen from Pasig City and its neighboring towns and cities placed it under control at 8:45 p.m. 

The STAR learned that the squatters’ area was scheduled for demolition before Christmas.It was submerged in floodwaters when typhoon Ondoy hit the country on Sept. 26.