8 grocery workers die in Cagayan de Oro fire

MANILA, Philippines - Eight of the 13 stay-in grocery workers perished in an early morning fire that hit a two-story commercial establishment in Cagayan de Oro City yesterday.

Charred beyond recognition were Luz Pana, Emilyn Chung, Chembelyn Macusi, Jackilyn Resurrecion, Cheryl Tortugo, Russel Padero, Lorena Pahunang and Benjie Taneo, reports reaching the Office of Civil Defense at Camp Aguinaldo said.

The eight, whose bodies were recovered were among the 13 stay-in workers trapped inside a grocery store located at a five-door commercial establishment located at the city’s public market in Barangay Puerto.

The victims’ five colleagues despite sustaining burns were subsequently rescued by responding fighters after they succeeded in destroying the window iron grill at the second floor of the said grocery store.

The city’s fire probers have yet to identify them but said that of the five fire survivors, two of them are male employees.

Initial investigation showed that the victims were all sleeping at the second floor of the establishment when fire of still undetermined origin, broke out at about 2:15 a.m.

According to the report, the victims initially tried to run out of the burning building via the first floor but were unable to open the accordion-type main steel door that was locked from the outside.

Firefighters placed the fire under control at about 4:15 a.m. Arson investigators are still conducting an investigation into the blaze that gutted the SP Foods and Groceries.

Aside from the grocery store, the fire also gutted the adjoining “Door Two,” “Door One” and “Door Four” of the said establishment, the report said.