2 electrocuted in QC blaze

MANILA, Philippines - Two men were electrocuted Sunday night following a fire that razed 10 houses and affected 20 families in Quezon City.

Fire investigators said electrician Roberto Sinita and security guard RJ Espina – both residents of Area 5-A, Naval Ext. in Barangay Sauyo – fell from the roof of one of the burnt houses after being electrocuted. They were rushed to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.

Senior Fire Officer 2 Jose Felipe Arriza said the incident happened after the blaze was put out at around 8 p.m., roughly two hours after it allegedly broke out at the house of a certain Juan Haen.

Arriza said the fire reached fourth alarm, with an estimated damage to property at around P1 million. He said the cause of the blaze has yet to be identified.

Investigators said Sinita and Espina may have been trying to salvage materials from the burnt houses when they were electrocuted.

When asked why there was electricity despite the fire, investigators said the power may not have been totally cut off as the blaze happened in a slum area.