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Tuesday, October 05, 2004
Fire victims' kin to file charges vs grocery owner
By Chris Navarro
* Building found to be fire hazard
* Lapid instructs provincial legal officer to assist victims' families
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The smoke may have cleared, but the pain of losing their loved ones still burns in the hearts of relatives of the eight women who perished during Saturday's late afternoon blaze.
Vicente Gutierez, father of victim Lerma Gutierez of Barangay Maimpis here, said they are preparing to file appropriate charges before the police against the owner of Popong's supermarket located along Consuji St. this city.
He added that one of the reasons why his daughter and her companions were not able to escape was because there was no emergency exit in the fourth floor of the building.
Meanwhile, Romel Gonzales, husband of victim Alma Gonzales, officer in charge of Popong's Grocery Store, said they will wait until his wife's remains are laid to rest before filing appropriate charges against owner Marichu Choi.
On the other hand, Pampanga Gov. Mark T. Lapid, who visited the wake of the fire victims Monday, said the Provincial government is willing to assist "in any way they can".
Lapid donated P5,000 each for families of the eight fatalities out of his own pocket and said he also gave instructions to the provincial legal officer to assist the surviving family members who wish to file a complaint against the owner.
Supt. Emmanuel Arrozal, provincial fire marshal, said he has coordinated with the scene of crime office (Soco) and the city police in gathering evidence to be used in the filing of appropriate charges.
He also said based on their findings, the building has "illegal structures" which made it a fire hazard.
Furthermore, he said the fire escape was located at the second floor where the fire originated, making it difficult for the victims to escape since they were at the fourth floor.
The casualties, seven of whom are employees of Popong's supermarket were identified as Joy Lugtu, 19, single, of Sto. Cristo, Mexico; Genevie Dizon, 27, married of San Juan, Sta. Ana; Victoria Malpico, 37, married, finance officer of San Joaquin, Sta. Ana; Alma Gonzales, 38, married of Calulut, Emerita Koh, 41, married of Pilar Village and Lerma Gutierez, 26, single, of Maimpis all in the City of San Fernando; Marlene Miranda, 20, single of Magliman, Bacolor and a certain Desiree Vitug, a sales representative from Valenzuela St., Angeles City.
Arrozal said the cause of the fire may have started while some employees of the store were cooking at the second floor of the building, located in Barangay Sto. Rosario here.
It was learned that combustible materials were stored at 2nd floor of the store owned by one Marichu Choi.
Arrozal said despite the prompt response from various fire departments in different municipalities, it took them three hours to contain the blaze because of the combustible packages inside the store.
(October 5, 2004 issue)
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