Fire Officer 3 Florante Aquino, of the Taguig City Fire Department, told INQUIRER.net by phone Wednesday that one of the reported fatalities died on the scene due to heart attack while the other one had yet to be confirmed.
“Last night, only one fatality was reported. However, it was relayed to us just this morning that there was another (fatality). Our fire investigators are currently on the scene to confirm it,” Aquino said in Filipino.
He said more than 100 families were rendered homeless in the blaze, which swept through a shanty community.
According to a radio report, the affected families have sought temporary shelter at the Maharlika Trade Center.
The confirmed fatality was identified as a certain Camilla.
The fire reached Task Force Alpha, Aquino said, adding that at least 20 fire trucks from fire departments in District 4, including Marikina, Pasig, Pateros, San Juan, Mandaluyong and Taguig helped put out the fire.
Since the shanties were made of light materials, he said the fire “quickly spread and was difficult to put out.”
The blaze started around 9:25 p.m. and was put out after almost two hours at around 11:10 p.m.
Aquino said an unattended lighted candle might have caused the fire.
He added that the government lot on which the gutted houses were built is owned by the National Housing Authority.