P6 M in carpets, textiles go up in flames

MANILA, Philippines—Millions of pesos in carpets and other textile products were gobbled up by a six-hour fire which engulfed part of the Shell Canvas Building in Muntinlupa on Friday and held up traffic in both directions on the South Luzon Expressway.

According to the investigation report of the Muntinlupa Fire Station, P6 million worth of carpets and other products for sale were destroyed by the blaze, which started at around 10:30 a.m. on Friday and was finally put out 4:55 in the afternoon.

The report said the fire started on the fourth floor of the five-storey building, which was used as a stock room for merchandise. However, investigators had yet to determine what started it or if foul play was involved.

Firefighters struggled to control the blaze, saying that the carpets easily caught fire but were extremely difficult to extinguish.

No one was injured in the fire.

Traffic was snarled at the Alabang stretch of the South Luzon Expressway Friday as motorists slowed down to investigate the fire.

The stretch of the East Service Road between Alabang to Sucat was closed to give way to trucks firetrucks.