(Photo courtesy of Bureau of Fire Protection)
MANILA, Philippines — Six persons perished when a fire broke out in a residential area along Arlegui Street in Quiapo, Manila on Thursday, according to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).
“All fatalities are charred and beyond recognition,” the BFP reported.
According to the BFP, five of the six victims are from the same family. Three of the victims were children, a seven year old and his two cousins, who were both 12 years old.
The parents of the seven-year-old also perished in the fire. The father was 34 years old while the mother was 32 years old.
A 63-year-old senior citizen unrelated to the family was also found in the same place as the family.
The bodies were found on the ground floor of a four-story residential building, said the BFP.
“Ground floor is made of concrete, 2nd to 4th floor is made up of wooden materials,” said the BFP.
The BFP is determining if the fire originated from the second floor of the building.
Meanwhile, four people were hurt in total, said the BFP. The bureau also estimated that 500 families (1,200 individuals) were affected as the fire hit “50 more or less” structures.
According to the BFP, the damage caused by the fire amounts to around P5 million.
The BFP said further investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the fire.
Firefighters arrived on the scene at around 2:24 a.m. and raised the second alarm at 2:37 a.m. The fire reached the 3rd alarm at 2:50 a.m.
The blaze was declared under control by 4:14 a.m. and fire out was not declared until 8:10 a.m.
According to the BFP, 12 firetrucks responded to the scene, along with three ambulances.
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