QC condo fire traced to basement garbage bin

MANILA, Philippines—Seven condominium residents were rushed to the hospital for breathing difficulties when a small fire hit their building on Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City, around noon Friday.

An initial investigation showed that the fire at Prince David condominium in Barangay Loyola Heights started in the garbage collection bin at the basement, possibly from a lit cigarette butt.

Quezon City fire marshal Jesus Fernandez noted the fiber-glass bin was connected to the condominium’s garbage chutes, which explained why the smoke reached the upper levels of the 18-story condo.

An evacuation of the building was ordered and seven of the residents had to be rushed to the hospital. The residents were allowed to return to their units at 3 p.m. or about 45 minutes after the fire was declared out. Jaymee T. Gamil