Three fires hit Manila in the early hours of Chinese New Year, Jan. 29, leaving two women dead in a Binondo condominium unit.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said two female helpers died in a blaze that broke out in a condominium unit on the 35th floor of a residential building on Ongpin Street, Binondo, the center of the Chinese New Year celebrations in the City of Manila.
Initial investigation showed that the helpers died from suffocation after being trapped in the burning unit.
Six other occupants of the condominium unit escaped the blaze.
Based on the BFP report, the blaze started at 3:41 a.m. and was declared fire out at 4:51 a.m.
The Manila Fire District placed the estimated amount of damage to property at around P4,500,000.
Arson investigators are still determining the cause of the fire that allegedly started from the helpers’ room.
Hours later, another fire occurred in an apartment building in a residential area at Ongpin corner Bermuda Street, Binondo.
The BFP said the blaze started at 12:24 p.m. and quickly escalated to the 2nd alarm at 12:27 p.m.
More than 20 minutes later, a fire broke out in Barangay 91, Tondo, gutting several houses on Herbosa Street, the BFP said.
According to firefighters at the scene, the blaze started at 12:46 p.m. and has reached the 2nd alarm at 12:50 p.m. and the 3rd alarm at 12:57 p.m. (Patrick Garcia)
