Fire razes 2-story house, 5 business establishments

A fire on Banaag corner Pineda Streets in Pasig City reaches second alarm on Tuesday. JOVIC YEE/PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines—A fire of still undetermined origin gutted a two-story boarding house and damaged five business establishments in Pasig City Tuesday evening.

According to arson investigator SFO1 Robert Maravilla, the fire started at around 6:45 p.m. at the ground floor of the wooden house owned by Josefina Rodellas at the corner of Masilang Street and Pasig Boulevard in Barangay Pineda.

Maravilla said no one was harmed from the fire, which reached the second alarm and was declared out 43 minutes later, since the six boarders weren’t inside the more than 50-year-old house at the time of the incident.

However, authorities estimated that around P5 million worth of properties were lost in the fire.

Maravilla said the fire quickly spread to a roast chicken store and a milk tea shop because these establishments were directly in front of the house. On the other hand, a restaurant and a convenience store, which were on both ends of the two other establishments, incurred water damage.

A lotto outlet also had its roof damaged by the fire.

Benjie Rosarial, a tenant in the house, told Maravilla that when he left his room, he made sure to unplug all his appliances. Rosarial’s room was beside the roast chicken store.

Maravilla said they are still considering the possibility that an appliance may have been left unplugged in the other rooms, which could’ve caused the fire.

The fire also caused heavy traffic on both lanes of Pasig Boulevard, since it occurred along a busy thoroughfare during the rush hour. At least a dozen fire trucks lined the Pasig-bound lane of the boulevard. TVJ

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