LUCENA CITY – Two successive fires broke out in Taytay, Rizal on Black Saturday and Easter Sunday (April 8 and 9), which reportedly resulted in five deaths, the local police said.
The Regional Police 4A, in a spot report on Sunday said the first fire broke out in Barangay (village) San Juan at around 9:47 p.m.
It was put under control an hour later.
The police claimed that five persons died from the blaze but the report did not provide further information.
According to the report by government-owned Radyo Pilipinas, the blaze razed at least 40 houses and displaced some 60 families.
According to the report by the Marikina Filipino – Chinese Fire Brigade Volunteers on its Facebook page, the second fire was reported in Barangay Dolores at around 12:55 a.m. Sunday.
The Taytay Public Information Office reported that the Dolores fire was placed under control at around 3:11 a.m.
Radyo Pilipinas reported that the fire in Dolores gutted 81 houses made from light materials.
The second blaze affected 90 families but had no reported casualties.
“Lord, please give [them] all the strength to rise up,” Taytay Mayor Allan De Leon said in a social media post.
Further investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the conflagrations.