Arson threat heard before Muntinlupa fire

Authorities are looking into reports that a man started the four-hour fire that destroyed an estimated P3-million worth of property in a residential area in Muntinlupa City shortly after midnight on Friday.

Chief Insp. Gilbert Dolot, the city’s fire marshal, said investigators are considering Alvin Aquino a person of interest after he was heard making a threat “to set something on fire,” for reasons that remained unclear, minutes before his neighborhood in Garcip Compound, Barangay Cupang, went ablaze.

“The neighbors believe he was the one who started it,” Dolot said of Aquino, who has yet to be seen in the area at press time.

The fire started at 12:43 a.m. at the Aquino residence and spread to about 500 more homes. It reached Task Force Alpha, requiring at least 19 firetrucks.

F03 Melvin Mejia said the trucks had difficulty entering the narrow streets and a creek bordering the compound also restricted their movement.

At least five residents were reportedly hurt before the fire was declared out at 4:20 a.m.