Fires hit Pasig, Manila

MANILA, Philippines - Two fires broke out Manila and Pasig since Friday night, leaving more than 200 families homeless and destroying equipment at a noodle factory valued at P5 million.

The families in Sta. Ana, Manila spent Friday night on the street after a three-hour fire destroyed their shanties.

The fire reportedly started at a bakery at around 5:30 p.m. and reached Task Force Alpha, the highest fire alarm, arson investigators said.

The firefighters said the flames spread quickly throughout the slum area as the houses were made of light materials such as plywood and galvanized iron sheets.

City fire marshal Chief Inspector Boni Carta said the firefighters had difficulty putting out the fire because there was only one access road to the area and they had to contend with crowded, dark and narrow alleys.

Meanwhile, a noodle-making machine valued at P5 million was lost when a fire broke out at a noodle factory in Pasig City yesterday.

The factory, located along Market Avenue, caught fire at about 6:30 a.m., Fire Officer 1 Marvic Amazona said.

The blaze reached first alarm around five minutes later and was put out by around 7 a.m. by responding firefighters, with no reported deaths or injuries.

“It was not a big fire but it razed the factory’s noodle-making machine, which was valued at about P5 million,” Amazona said.

Investigators are still looking at the possible causes of the fire, Amazona added. – Aie Balagtas See, Mike Frialde