(UPDATED) Five people perished in a fire that hit a commercial-residential building in Manila before dawn Tuesday.
Manila fire marshal Superintendent Jaime Ramirez said the fire, which started around 3:58 a.m., gutted a grocery store on Tahimik Street, Delpan, Tondo, owned by Wilson Villanueva.
The fatalities were identified as Joana Razet del Cruz; 21, Jamaica dela Cruz; 17, both grandchildren of Villanueva; a certain Shane, 21, a friend of Joana; and store employees identified as Jun-Jun and Tin-tin.
"Hindi pa ma-identify 'yung full name nung tatlo kasi wala pang makapag-identify sa kanila," he said. "Sa first floor na nakita ang mga sunog na katawan ng mga biktima dahil gumuho na ang ikalawang palapag ng building."
Three employees -- Albert Andrade, Marvin Frado and Ronald Bulevar – jumped off the building from the second floor to flee the burning building.
Andrade said Villanueva's two grandchildren together with Shane were sleeping on the second floor of the building while two others were at the first floor.
Villanueva was in Aklan during the fire, Ramirez said.
The fire, which reached third alarm was put out around 5 a.m., caused an estimated P2 million in damages.
The Bureau of Fire Protection is trying to determine the cause of the fire. (Sunnex)