150 families displaced as fires hit 2 QC areas

MANILA, Philippines—Fires hit two separate barangays in Quezon City since Sunday afternoon, leaving more than 150 families homeless and two residents injured.

Some 50 homes in a slum community in Barangay Bagbag, Novaliches were razed Sunday afternoon while five houses were damaged in a fire before dawn Monday in Barangay N.S. Amoranto.

Arson investigator SFO2 Jose Felipe Arreza said the first fire reportedly originated from a room on the second floor of a house belonging to Dennis Yoson on Anonas St., Ibayo II in Barangay Bagbag.

The blaze began at around 2:30 p.m. Sunday, allegedly because of an unattended television set, residents claimed.

Arreza, however, said they are still investigating to determine the cause of the blaze, which reached up to Task Force Charlie.

Firefighters were able to control the fire around 4:26 p.m. and totally doused the flames at 5:15 p.m.

More than 150 families lost their homes in the brief fire, which also destroyed some P3 million in properties.

Arreza said an unidentified man was injured in the right leg because of electrocution, citing reports from the Philippine National Red Cross.

On Monday, an early morning fire burned down five houses in Barangay N.S. Amoranto where an elderly woman, identified as Mandy Reyes, 67, suffered first degree burns in her nape and right arm.

Arreza said the fire started at 3:58 a.m. at the ground floor of a two-story house owned by Reyes’ sister Susan on Luna corner Bonifacio streets in Barangay N.S. Amoranto.

The arson investigator was checking reports that a lit candle may have been the cause of the blaze.

He learned that the house had no electricity and that the family was reportedly using candles at night.

The fire reached the second alarm though firefighters were able to put it out at 4:46 a.m. Monday.

Damage to property was estimated at P1 million.