4 hurt, over 80 families displaced in Las Piñas fire

More than 100 shanties were razed in a fire that hit a slum area in Las Piñas City before noon Monday.

City fire marshal Gerardo Porley told the Inquirer that the blaze started around 10 a.m. in a residential community on Lotus Street inside TS Cruz Subdivision, Barangay (village) Almanza Dos. Four persons suffered minor burns while more than 80 families were displaced in the fire that lasted for about two hours, said Porley.

The investigator estimated that damage to property may total P2 million.

The fire department was still verifying reports that the blaze was sparked by a lit stove that was left unattended in one of the houses. Almanza Dos barangay captain Vicente Alovera Jr. said that the affected families, mostly informal settlers, had sought shelter at the barangay covered court.

“Mayor Vergel Aguilar immediately sent social workers who assessed the number of displaced families and provided them with food and medicine,” Alovera said. “They will be transferred to Almanza Dos Elementary School on Tuesday or Wednesday and they will stay there until the local government can find a relocation site for them.”

Last week, a fire also razed houses on Guadalupe Street, Fatima Subdivision, in Barangay Zapote in the same city, killing a 7-year-old boy. The half-blind victim was reportedly tied to a bed by his parents at the time of the fire because of his unruly behavior.—With a report from Jamie Marie Elona, INQUIRER.net

Originally posted: 6:13 pm | Monday, November 26th, 2012