Fire displaces 35 families in Caloocan, Manila

MANILA, Philippines — With less than two weeks to go before Christmas, 35 families in Caloocan City and Manila lost their houses due to fires that broke out on Wednesday morning.

A report from the Caloocan City fire station said a blaze started around 7:30 a.m. at the second floor of the house of Marlyn Lopez in Ruby Ville Subdivision at Barangay 160.

It destroyed the houses of 12 families, raging for nearly two hours before it was put out.

Although Supt. Stephen Requina, Caloocan fire marshal, said there were no casualties, two people sustained minor injuries.

However, Apple Cleofas, 36, and Prince John Morilla, 26, were no longer taken to a hospital but received treatment at the site from nurses.

Firemen also rescued five dogs.

Of the 11 houses affected by the blaze, 8 were destroyed while the rest were partially burnt.

Authorities pegged the damage to property at P1.5 million although the cause of the fire remained under investigation, Requina said.

In Tondo, Manila, 23 families were affected in the fire that started at the second floor of a two-story house on Road 10 around 3:40 a.m.

Fire Insp. John Joseph Jalique of the Manila Fire District said the blaze spread through 15 houses made of light materials before it was put around 4:10 a.m.

The damage was estimated at P25,000.

Jalique added that no one was hurt in the fire although they have yet to determine what caused it.

—Meg Adonis, Nikka G. Valenzuela