100 families lose homes in Iloilo fire

ILOILO CITY, Philippines —  Around 100 families were left homeless when a fire hit a residential area in Barangay Ortiz in Iloilo City yesterday.

Chief Inspector Melanie Habawel of the Bureau of Fire Protection-Iloilo office said the fire, which broke out before 4 a.m., was declared out at around 7 a.m.

Habawel said the fire reportedly started from a house which had been uninhabited since the city was placed under community quarantine as its occupant, identified as Virginia Gallon, was stranded outside the barangay.

Initial investigation showed that faulty electrical wiring could have caused the fire.

The fire victims took shelter at the University of Iloilo-Phinma campus.