Philippines: At least seven killed in fire near capital city Manila

At least seven people, including two children, were killed after a fire broke out late Saturday (April 8) in a residential complex near the Philippine capital city of Manila, police said, as per AFP. According to the report, more than 40 houses were destroyed in the densely populated Taytay municipality southeast of Manila, the Philippine police said on Sunday.

The fire broke out just before 10:00 pm (local time) in Taytay town and spread fast in the densely packed neighbourhood of old houses. The municipality is located in the southeastern part of the capital city of Manila where several families who lived in one house accessible only through a long, narrow alley, were caught in the flames, said a report by the news agency citing officials.

According to the police, victims were trapped in their house at the end of the street, and the bodies were found on the kitchen floor and inside the bathroom, reported the Chinese news agency, Xinhua.

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Among the seven killed were a two-year-old girl and a 12-year-old boy. “They weren't able to escape. They were trapped,” Taytay’s acting police chief Joel Custodio told AFP, adding that they were found “hugging each other.” Additionally, at least one person was injured due to falling debris.

It took around two hours to put out the fire which has also left at least 60 families homeless, said the police. Initial investigation into the incident by the Bureau of Fire Protection suspects faulty wiring inside one of the houses as the possible cause of the fire.

This incident also comes a week after an inter-island vessel caught on fire in the Philippines, killing 29 people, including a six-month-old baby. At the time, the authorities had rescued over 200 people off the southern island of Basilan.

(With inputs from agencies)

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