Marikina fire kills paralyzed man left alone in his house

A 65-year-old man who was paralyzed was killed after he was trapped in his burning house in Marikina City Monday morning.

Arson investigator SFO2 Noel Alarcon said that the victim, Patricio Bala, was alone when a fire broke out in his neighbor’s house at 5:45 a.m.

The flames then spread to the three-story house where the victim was staying.

“No one was able to take him out of the house and to a safer place since the smoke at the time had become so thick,” Alarcon said.

Firefighters later found the victim’s badly burnt body. Five other residents were injured as well.

Alarcon said both houses were made of light materials, making it difficult for the firefighters to control the flames.

The blaze went on to destroy several other houses, including some townhouses. It reached the third alarm before it was put out at 6:55 a.m.

Damage to property was estimated at around P500,000. Alarcon said they have yet to determine the cause of the fire.  Niña Calleja and Christine Exevea, trainee