3 people die, at least 18 others injured in Manila Pavilion fire

Smoke comes out of the lower floors of the Manila Pavilion due to a fire that started at the second floor the building at around 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, March 18, 2018. (Photo by MARIANNE BERMUDEZ / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Published: 1:48 p.m., March 18, 2018 | Updated: 12:26 a.m., March 19, 2018

Three people died and at least 18 others were injured in a fire that broke out at the ground floor of the Waterfront Manila Pavilion Hotel and Casino Sunday morning, according to the Manila Police District.

The fire started at about 9:30 a.m. at the second floor of the 22-story historic hotel, which opened in 1968 as the Manila Hilton. The fire reached Task Bravo at 11:30 a.m.

As of this posting, firefighters are still trying to put out the fire.

As of 3:31 p.m., 17 people had already been taken at the nearby Manila Doctors Hospital, where three of them were declared dead on arrival.

Earlier reports put the number of dead at four. But authorities brought down the number to three after one of those taken to the hospital – casino internal officer Jenifer Figeroa – who was revived by doctors.

Of those in the hospital, 13 suffered various injuries and had trouble breathing. One of them was in critical condition.

At another hospital nearby, the Manila Medical Center, had also attended to four people injured in the fire.

Johnny Yu, director of the Manila Disaster Risk and Reduction Management (MDRRMO) said two of the fatalities were hotel employees – Jun Evangelista, treasury officer, and Billy de Castro, intern security.

They were among those taken to the Manila Doctors Hospital, where they were declared dead on arrival due to suffocation.

“Based sa report kasi, maybe these are the two responders or ito yung dalawang unang nakakita nung apoy [they were the first to spot the fire],” Yu said.

“So na-trap ‘yan malamang. Nagkaroon ng suffocation. Nailabas. Dinala sa [they were probably trapped, suffocated, brought out of the building and to the] hospital, dead on arrival,” he added.

Yu also said that there were still people trapped on the fifth floor of the hotel.

“Around 19 to 20,” he said, referring to people believed still on the upper floor.

He also confirmed that two CCTV operators, Mark Sabido and Joe Cris Banang, were two of the missing persons.  /cbb /je /atm