7 dead in Malabon fire

MANILA, Philippines - At least seven people, including three minors, were killed when a three-hour fire struck a residential area in Malabon early yesterday morning.

Four members of a family were trapped inside their burning house along Espiritu street in Barangay Tenejeros, arson probers said.

Tomas Cruz, 72, his daughter Mylene, 38, and grandchildren, Lelei, 10, and Raylei, 2, were burned beyond recognition, said Malabon fire marshal Chief Inspector Rod Reyes.

Reyes identified the other fatalities as Angelo Daliri, 17, and his siblings Angela, 16, and Angelito, 13.

He said the fire broke out at 3:20 a.m. in the house of the Cruz family.

The blaze reached Task Force Alpha before it was contained at 6:30 a.m.

Senior Fire Officer 3 Albino Torres said the fire razed more than 100 houses, leaving around 200 families homeless.

Arson investigators have yet to determine the cause of the fire.

Damage to property was placed at P1.5 million.

One of the residents whose house was gutted by fire told The STAR they were awakened when they heard their neighbors screaming.

“We heard people screaming and scampering to save their personal belongings,” he said.

Malabon Mayor Antolin Oreta III distributed relief goods to the affected families.

P15-M property goes up in smoke

In Pasig City, around P15 million worth of property went up in smoke when a fire hit a warehouse in Barangay Manggahan on Tuesday night.

It took firemen 32 hours to put out the fire that broke out at Hansonn Paper Mills Corp. at 11 p.m., said Chief Inspector Roy Questo.

He said the blaze started at 3 p.m. on Monday.  No one was reported hurt in the incident.

Questo said they are still investigating the cause of the fire. – With Non Alquitran