2 hurt in fire; P1.5M property lost

MANILA, Philippines—Two fire volunteers were injured in a blaze that destroyed around P1.5 million worth of property inside a compound in Manila on Thursday.

Richard Mariano, 33; and Meynard Saludad, 25; were immediately brought to Metropolitan Hospital for burns and cuts.

Senior Fire Officer 2 John Joseph Jalique of the Manila Fire District said that Mariano came into contact with a live wire as he was going up a ladder. He then fell and broke his left wrist. Saludad, on the other hand, suffered cuts.

According to Jalique, the blaze started at 10:01 a.m. Thursday on the second floor of a house owned by Felicisima Tejoco at 2105-E Felix Huertas St. in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

The fire then spread to 19 other houses in the compound. It reached the fifth alarm before it was put out by responding firemen at 11:41 a.m.

Jalique said the cause of the blaze was under investigation. He estimated the cost of damaged property at P1.5 million.