Manila fire kills man with Alzheimer’s disease, displaces 50 families

Fire incidents increased 34.4 percent from January to June 10, 2024, as they mostly occurred in residential areas, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

MANILA, Philippines — A 69-year-old man with Alzheimer’s disease died in a fire in a residential area in Sampaloc, Manila on Wednesday, the Bureau of Fire Protection – National Capital Region (BFP-NCR) reported on Thursday.

The blaze gutted 20 houses, displaced 50 families or 200 individuals, and damaged P225,000 worth of property, the fire bureau said.

The fire started in a two-story house. The first alarm was raised at 5:26 p.m. and escalated to the second alarm at 5:32 p.m. It was declared under control at 6:11 p.m. and was extinguished at 6:18 p.m., according to the BFP-NCR.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire.

READ: Fireman killed in Quezon town blaze