Saturday, September 29, 2007 Girl dies in Mintal market fire By Rhodamae M. Hernandez
AN EIGHT-year-old girl died after she was trapped inside one of the five stalls razed by fire at the Mintal Public Market in Mintal, Tugbok district, Davao City Friday dawn, in what was believed to be a case of arson.
Initial investigation by the Mintal Fire Station showed that the fire started from the stall occupied by Samina Malaco Magarang Nampi, Maymona Malaco Magarang, and Lorhani Malaco Amir, the victim's mother.
The girl was asleep and was being awakened by the house help when the fire broke. The girl, however, refused to wake up and was thus left behind in panic.
Four stalls were razed while one was damaged.
The burned stalls were the St. Peter's office, a videoke house owned by Lydia de Leon, and an "ukay-ukay" stall owned by Lailani Cajes. Damaged was the restaurant owned by Rose Juanich.
The fire started at around 1 p.m. and lasted for two hours. Estimated cost of damage was placed at 1.2 million.
"Intentional arson gyud kay naay mga traces nga nakuha sama sa mga sugnod, mga basura nga gituyo pagsunog pati ang trapal (we found traces of arson like garbage and the tarpaulin that were set on fire)," SFO1 Leonardo Albarico of the Mintal Fire Station said.
It is not unlikely that the fire was set off by rugby-sniffing boys, he said.
Authorities are conducting further investigation.
