Fire breaks out in Manila; 2 dead

MANILA, Philippines — Two persons died when a fire razed a three-story apartment in Sta. Cruz, Manila on Monday night.

  Arson probers identified the fatalities as Jay Saavedra, 31, and Ali Jarganta, 37, of ABCD Building along Claro M. Recto Avenue.

Maj. Rossiv Cante of the Manila fire department said the blaze broke out at the apartment at around 7:10 p.m. 

Cante said the fire reached the second alarm before it was declared under control at past 9 p.m.

A security guard at a nearby establishment said he saw the victims shouting for help.

A resident told probers that Jarganta, who was scheduled to leave for Saudi Arabia to work as a driver, managed to get out of the burning apartment. But he returned to retrieve his passport.

Jarganta’s charred remains were recovered on the ground floor.

Damage to property was estimated at P100,000.

60 families homeless

In Quezon City, at least 60 families were left homeless when a fire struck a residential area in Barangay Krus na Ligas at dawn yesterday.

City fire marshal Col. Jaime Ramirez said the blaze started at the house of 62-year-old Myrna Omay along Mapagkumbaba street at around 3:25 a.m.

One of the residents, Rosalia Quimbo, 62, was treated by rescuers after she fainted.

The fire destroyed at least 30 houses before it was put out at around 4:13 a.m.

Damage to property was placed at P80,000.

Authorities said they have yet to determine the cause of the fires. – With Emmanuel Tupas