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Sunday, October 03, 2004
6 dead in afternoon fire; damage at P20M
By Chris Navarro and Rhay Navales
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Six women perished in a fire that also razed some P20 million in commercial property and homes Saturday afternoon in Barangay Sto. Rosario here.
Supt. Emmanuel Arrozal, Pampanga provincial fire marshal, told Sun.Star at least 20 fire trucks from different fire stations responded to put out the blaze that burned down Popong's Grocery Store and several shanties in the area.
Arrozal, as of press time, said at least six women, who were trapped inside the grocery store, were killed.
He identified the reported fatalities as Gemma Gutierrez, one "Jean", one "Emy", Alma Gonzales, Joy Lugtu, one "Marilyn" and a still unidentified woman working for the grocery store. Most of the fatalities were reportedly employees of the establishment.
"Medyo sketchy pa ang report kaya hindi pa ma-establish ang identities ng fatalities. Kasalukuyan pa rin naming iniimbestigahan ang pinagmulan ng sunog," Arrozal said. (What we have are sketchy reports from the field. It is difficult as of now to identify those who died.)
Investigators are still determining the cause of the fire, which created a traffic jam in the downtown area as marketgoers milled to the site to watch the store burn.
Supt. Nicanor Targa said policemen were deployed near the Popong's Grocery Store to prevent looting at the height of the fire.
"So far na-secure na namin ang grocery store para di na makaporma ang mga looters habang nilalabas ng mga may ari ang natitira pa nilang paninda na hindi nasunog," Targa said. (We were able to secure the store to keep away looters while the owners were transferring goods that were not burned to another place.)
Targa said that the fire also gutted several shanties, which include appliances and clothing. Policemen helped secure the appliances and things of the victims.
Firefighters from nearby towns and members of Rescue 21 of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council also assisted the residents bring their belongings to a safe place.
In this light, Mang Juan, one of the fire victims, appealed to the City Government to provide temporary shelter for them since most of the victims had only saved their clothes and a few belongings.
Vice Mayor Eligio "Tiger" Lagman, Councilors Jimmy Lazatin and Ruping Dumlao and City Administrator Fer Caylao visited the area to personally check on the situation.
(October 3, 2004 issue)
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