7 killed in Cavite blaze

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna , Philippines  – Seven people, including two two-year-old girls, were killed in a fire that gutted a building in Dasmariñas, Cavite early yesterday morning, authorities said.

Senior Superintendent Armando Custodio, Cavite fire chief, identified the fatalities as Vilma, 38, Venice, two, and Genevieve, five, all surnamed Contreras; Corazon Gonzales, 21; Christine Gonzales, two; Jenneth Mitra, and Reynetteann Pastelero, all residents of Block 19, Lot 1, Phase 2, Mabuhay 2000 in Barangay Paliparan 2, Dasmariñas town.

Reports said the fire, blamed on faulty electrical wiring, started at around 4:20 a.m. at the second floor of the semi-commercial building and lasted until 6:05 a.m.

Fire investigators said three of the bodies were found in a room at the second floor, and the rest near a comfort room.

Custodio said six other workers at the building escaped unscathed from the fire, which reached the second alarm.

They were identified as Medelyn Contreras, 14; Nicole Contreras, 12; Nelieann Conteras, 11; Patrick Contreras, 10; Roser Gonzales, 23; and Gretchen Aringge, 20.

Aringge recounted to reporters that they rushed to the third floor of the building when the fire broke out and used blankets that they twisted to go down to the ground floor.

Aringge said they even tried to turn off the circuit breaker but thick smoke covered the entire second floor.

Some of the survivors used the fire exit and crossed to the rooftop of the adjoining house.

Resident Nancy Fernandez alleged that the firefighters arrived at the scene after an hour with inadequate water and that their hose could only reach the second floor.

No other houses in the area were affected by the fire, authorities said.