Woman, 76, dies in Tondo fire

MANILA, Philippines - A 76-year-old woman died in a fire that destroyed more than 100 homes and a chapel in Tondo, Manila before dawn yesterday.

Firefighters found the body of Victoria Mina under what was left of her house on Narcisa Rizal Street.

The Bureau of Fire Protection believes Mina, who was in a wheelchair, had been trapped.

More than 200 families from Barangays 250 and 259 were left homeless by the fire, believed to have been caused by an illegal power connection. The families lived along a canal.

The blaze started in the house of Jocelyn Miranda at around 3 a.m. and reached Task Force Alpha before it was put out at past noon, said Senior Fire Officer 1 Louie Ebio, arson investigator.

Several persons suffered slight injuries and complained of breathing difficulties, one of them Felisa Gomez, 98.

The fire also prompted nearby Chiang Kai Shek College to reset its examinations to next Monday. Investigators estimate the damage caused by the fire at around P10 million.