QC fire displaces 36 families

At least 36 families lost their houses after a two-hour fire hit a residential and commercial area near a market in Novaliches, Quezon City, on Wednesday morning. According to Quezon City fire marshal Manuel Manuel, the blaze which burnt down 12 houses started around 8 a.m. near Sauyo Market in Barangay Bagbag. The blaze was put out at 9:50 a.m., according to SFO1 Ramon Silla of the city’s Bureau of Fire Protection. The BFP said the fire allegedly started in a three-story house owned by Renante Illamis. Initial reports placed the damage to property at around P300,000. Injured in the fire were Darwin Tagama, a resident who suffered leg lacerations while another resident, Rizalina Bayola, and FO3 Darnayla Adonis sustained first degree burns. FO1 Augusto Cariaga complained of eye irritation, the BFP said. —Jodee A. Agoncillo

Wider Taytay bridge now open for C-6 users

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has opened the widened Barkadahan Bridge in Taytay, Rizal. Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said work on the 245-lineal meter bridge was part of the improvements on Laguna Lake Highway, also known as C-6 Road, which motorists could take as an alternative to Edsa and C-5. Villar said the additional lanes on the bridge could be used by motorists going to Taytay or the South Luzon Expressway via Bicutan. “Travel time from Barkadahan Bridge to Bicutan SLEx will be shortened from one hour to only 30 minutes,” he added. With a P114.35-million allocation for the widening and improvement, the DPWH pushed for the completion of the project within the year after addressing right-of-way issues. —Julie M. Aurelio