3 kids, woman dead in Quezon City fire

MANILA, Philippines - Four persons, including three children, were killed after a fire razed a slum area along NIA Road in Barangay Pinyahan, Quezon City yesterday morning.

The victims were identified as Alfred John Alcala, 10 months; Arien Joy Alcala, 7; an unidentified child believed to be aged 10 to 12 years old; and Erasma Baflor, 25.

Their charred bodies were recovered after the five-hour fire of still unknown origin was put out at around 6:25 a.m. The fire started at around 1:18 a.m.

Senior Fire Officer 2 Jose Mauricio said some 500 shanties were destroyed, leaving around 1,500 families homeless.

Firefighters led by Chief Inspector Alma Bacani placed the estimated fire damage at P7 million.