The body of Elizabeth David, 45, was recovered from her house in Barangay (village) Tandang Sora following the blaze, which also destroyed 10 houses.
Superintendent Samuel Tadeo, deputy fire marshal, said the woman was seen going back to her house at the corner of Venus Street and Tandang Sora Avenue at the height of the fire.
“Her housemates saw her get out of the house but she went back, probably to save some belongings. She would have been alive if she didn’t go back,” Tadeo said in an interview.
The blaze began at around 11:40 p.m. at David’s house, where there was also a sari-sari store.
The fire originated from the establishment’s left side, quickly spreading to 10 other houses in the area. Some market stalls were also damaged in the fire.
In just 13 minutes, the blaze reached the fourth alarm, destroying some P 1.5 million in properties.
Tadeo said firefighters placed the fire under control at around 12:17 a.m. of Thursday, until it was put out at around 12:43 am.
David’s body was recovered from the second floor of the house after the smoke cleared.
An estimated 15 families were left homeless by the fire and as of this posting Thursday, firefighters were still investigating the cause of the blaze.
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