|
|
Monday, July 10, 2006
1 killed, 5,T homeless in fire at shantytown (11:50 a.m.)
MANILA (Updated) -- At least one resident was killed and six others hurt in a pre-dawn fire Monday that gutted more than 200 shanties in a squatter colony north of Manila and left about 5,000 people homeless, officials said.
The fire started at 4:30 a.m. inside narrow alleys in the Manila suburb of Malabon, prompting firefighters to close nearby roads as they struggled to navigate the small streets. Exploding electrical transformers hampered the work.
Some residents attempted to take hoses away from firefighters in an effort to save their own homes, Radio DZBB reported.
Mayor Canuto Oreta said at least one person was killed and six injured, while about 5,000 people were rendered homeless.
"Each house had up to three families. Our problem now is setting up temporary shelters for the families because schools have classes here," he told Radio DZBB.
Among those injured was a woman who fell from stairs and a man who stepped on a hot iron sheet, officials said.
Fire investigators suspected that a candle left unattended may have started the fire.(AP/Sunnex)
First posted at 10:00 a.m. |
|
|
|
