Fire hits Pagcor building in Manila

MANILA, Philippines - A fire broke out at a building of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) in Ermita, Manila before dawn yesterday, injuring two security guards of the state gaming firm.

Col. Byron Tabangay, assistant vice president of Pagcor’s security department, said the fire started at around 12:40 a.m. at the fourth floor of Pagcor’s corporate office building along Roxas Boulevard.

“Our security personnel saw smoke coming out of the External Security Operations Unit (ESOU) stockroom. We immediately sought help from the nearest fire stations in Arroceros, Paco and Intramuros. Fire out was declared at around 1:28 a.m. today (yesterday),” Tabangay said in a statement.

According to Tabangay, Venus Montanez suffered cuts and bruises while Bernard Enao suffocated from the smoke when they helped put out the fire. Both were rushed to the Manila Doctors Hospital.

“Mr. Enao has been released from the hospital. On the other hand, Mr. Montanez is still confined at the hospital due to the deep wounds he sustained in the fire, and will undergo operation to remove the shards of glass that penetrated parts of his lower extremities,” Tabangay said.

The Bureau of Fire Protection initially estimated the cost of damage to the structure at P300,000.