3 dead as fires hit Quezon City, Marikina, Manila

MANILA, Philippines — Three children died when a fire broke out at a residential area in Barangay Obrero, Quezon City shortly before midnight yesterday.

The charred remains of cousins Ezail, 11; Elise, seven, and Nick, five, all surnamed Ragindin, were recovered by firefighters in a three-story house along Father Martinez street.

The fire started on the second floor of the victims’ house at around 11:57 p.m. on Wednesday, according to a report of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) National Capital Region field office.

The children’s grandmother, Theresa, said she woke up the victims when she noticed that the house was on fire.

“Hinawakan ko ’yung mga apo ko. Nahulog ako kaya nabitawan ko sila,” she said.

She said she was not able to rescue the children as bystanders already took her out of the house.

The BFP said the fire reached the first alarm and was put out by firefighters at around 3:12 a.m. yesterday.

Arson probers said 27 houses were damaged, displacing at least 81 families.

The cause of the fire, which destroyed P135,000 worth of property, has yet to be determined by investigators.

Twelve fire trucks and four ambulances responded to the scene, the BFP said.

Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Erwin Tulfo distributed food packs and cash aid to the fire victims, who are taking shelter at Don Alejandro Chino Roces High School.

Another fire hit a slum area in Barangay Balingasa, Quezon City yesterday, leaving at least 780 families or 1,560 people homeless.

The BFP said three persons were injured during the incident.

John Robert Castillo, 20, suffered an abrasion. Volunteer firefighters Melbert Beltran, 35, and Charlie Gerais, 30, were treated for difficulty in breathing.

In Marikina, 12 families were left homeless when a fire razed three houses in Barangay Tumana yesterday.

The BFP said the blaze originated on the second floor of a house at the corner of Kangkong and Okra streets.

The fire spread to two more houses before it was put out by firefighters.

Probers said they have yet to determine the cause of the fire, which destroyed P20,000 worth of property.

In Barangay Nangka, a warehouse of a tobacco firm was engulfed by a fire yesterday.

There were no casualties in the twin fires in Marikina, the BFP said.

In Manila, two fires broke out at residential areas in San Andres and Tondo on Wednesday.

Around 30 families were displaced in Barangay 147, Tondo.

Another fire struck Barangay 773 in San Andres, leaving 78 families homeless.

The affected families were evacuated and given food packs, according to the city social welfare office. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab