Las Piñas fire kills 5

MANILA, Philippines - A fire broke out at a residential compound in Almanza Uno, Las Piñas City before dawn yesterday, killing five people.

Roel Cunanan, Erlinda Bautista, 65; Alvin Nullen, 37; and Rogelio Gumamit were among those killed in the blaze, city fire marshal Felix Medes said. One victim remains unidentified.

Medes said the fire started just before 2 a.m. at the Villa­nueva Compound and quickly reached second alarm. The fire was under control an hour later and put out by 4 a.m.

Some 40 studio-type rooms, made of light materials, are located in the compound. According to Medes, only 31 of the 40 rooms were occupied when the fire broke out.

Medes said the compound was a firetrap as it can only be accessed by three small passageways that could fit only one person at a time.

Medes said the victims died from burns and smoke inhalation. Arson probers are still investigating what caused the fire and the approximate cost of the property destroyed by the blaze.

A few hours before the Las Piñas fire, around 10 families were rendered homeless by flames that razed a community in Quezon City Friday night.

The flames razed six houses along San Martin street in Barangay Gulod, Novaliches at past 10 p.m.

Fire investigators pegged the property damage at around P500,000.

The fire reached third alarm before it was put out about an hour later. Investigators have yet to determine the cause of the fire. – With Reinir Padua