By Ronron
April 7, 2007
More than 1,200 families were rendered homeless by a fire that struck dawn of Black Saturday at a slum area in Mandaluyong City, a fire official said.
SFO3 Avelino Caya, Arson Division chief of the Mandaluyong City Fire Department, said the blaze started at 3 am at Block 39, Welfare Ville Compound, Martinez corner Pavillo Streets in Barangay Addition Hills of said city.
“It took our firemen a while to put the fire under control because of the very narrow streets and the residents were blocking our way as they were busy saving their personal belongings,” Caya said in Filipino in a phone interview with Manila Shimbun yesterday.
Caya said the fire reached Task Force Echo, the highest of 10 alarm levels, and was put under control only at around 8:30 am. It was put out more than three hours later, or at 12:05 noon.
He said an estimated 400 shanties, mostly made of light materials, were burned down, resulting in estimated damage cost of more or less P6 million.
Two ladies, a 24-year-old and a 32-year-old, were slightly wounded in the incident and were brought to the Mandaluyong Medical Center for medical treatment.
Caya said initial investigation disclosed that the fire started from the house of a certain Aliw Vizmanos, located in the middle portion of the slum area.
“Allegedly, a candle was lighted at the second floor because it was dark. The owner did notice that the candled tipped over, causing the blaze,” he said.
The Vizmanos’ are now under investigation./DMS
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