1 dead, 5 hurt in Marikina fire

MANILA, Philippines - A paralyzed man was burned to death and five others were injured in a one-hour fire that hit a residential building on Malaya street in Marikina City yesterday.

Paticio Bala, 65, was sleeping in his room on the ground floor when a fire started at the building’s second floor at around 5:45 a.m. and spread, trapping him in his room. Firefighters recovered Bala’s charred body an hour later, Fire Inspector Elmer Maronilla said.

Wilson Duenas, Romeo Ramos, Edgardo Salonga, Bernie Duenas and Wilfredo Duenas suffered second and third degree burns and were treated at a nearby hospital.

The blaze reached third alarm and destroyed P500,000 worth of property before it was put out at around 6:55 a.m. Maronilla said they are still investigating what started the fire.