1 dead, 1 hurt as 2 fires hit Manila

MANILA, Philippines - A man died and another was injured when two fires hit Manila yesterday.

Delivery boy Nicasio Pason, 41, was killed when he tried to save some items from the two-story building that housed the Arnel Sash Factory as it burned down.

“He was not able to get out of the building. He was trapped inside,” said SFO2 Emmanuel Gaspar.

Gaspar said the fire started at the second floor of the building, located along Claro M. Recto Avenue, at around 1:56 a.m. The owner of the building, identified as Arnulfo de la Cruz, was in Bulacan at the time of the fire. His cousin, Joel, who lives nearby, suffered minor burns on his left arm.

The blaze, whose origin is still unknown, reached fourth alarm and destroyed around P1 million worth of property before it was put out at around 3:36 a.m.

Meanwhile, another fire broke out at a residential building at the corner of Consuelo and Dian streets in Malate, Manila at around 1:40 p.m. yesterday.

No one was reported hurt or killed in the fire, which reached third alarm before it was put out at around 2:18 p.m.

Arson investigators are still trying to determine what caused the fire and how much property had been destroyed.