Tags: Accidents and Tragedies, General News
By Marjorie Gorospe
QUEZON CITY, METRO MANILA—Aside from the scorching heat of the sun, a huge fire along E. Rodriguez Boulevard last Sunday left many families homeless, if not complaining of massive dehydration.
The fire, which reportedly burned 2,500 households, started around 3p.m. and rescue efforts were still ongoing three hours later, made even more difficult due to lack of water. Firemen also needed to traverse narrow alleys.
Strong winds also helped spread the fire and threatened nearby establishments near the area. Two blocks away from where I was standing, I heard what sounded like LPG tanks exploding.
The fire was big enough that it could be seen even from Ortigas Avenue. My family thought that it was somewhere in Greenhills but as we approached Kamuning, the fire and the smoke was still visible about 10 blocks away from where our apartment is located.
The blog “Simple Things in Mind” posted a photo of the fire taken from the third floor of a building. “iamraschelle” tweeted a photo while driving along E.Rodriguez Boulevard.
A report by the Associated Press said here were about 200 fire trucks that were in the area, but I saw that not all trucks carried water, even those near the fire zone. I heard some of the firemen telling the other trucks to just vacate the area and give way to people bringing water.
Many families were still able to rescue some appliances and clothes. Others were calling their relatives crying that nothing was left, not even a pair of clothes.
Marlyn Ligtas, a resident of Panuncio Compound, said the fire started from an LPG tank in the neighborhood and it easily spread since the house where the tank was located was made of wood. Ironically, when translated her surname means “to save” in English, but she saved nothing except for herself and her baby. She told me her husband was at work when the fire broke out.
Like other residents, she just wept helplessly watching her house turned to ashes while waiting for her husband to come home.
The last fire that happened in the area was in 1997. As is usually case, those left homeless have no choice but to seek refuge in schools turned into evacuation centers.
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