20121224 Philippines San Juan fire
Philippines Dec 24 2012 “Houses”
Dead : dead 1 to 4 Burnout : more than 70 Injured : injured more than 10
San Juan fire
Updated: 2012-12-25-13:19
In San Juan City, Laguna said another fire razed 500 houses and affected some 1,000 families.
A report by Jun Veneracion, also on Balitanghali, said an unattended candle caused the fire.
The San Juan fire claimed one fatality and injured thirteen others. The victim, identified as Michael Muñoz, was killed in a brawl while the fire was ongoing, fire officials said.
The relatives of Muñoz claimed that angry residents mistook him for the man who started the fire, and ganged up on him.
In a separate interview over dzBB, Laguna said the fire started shortly after 2 a.m. and reached the general alarm, which meant fire brigades of nearby cities, including that of Quezon City, responded to the fire. According to Laguna, a general alarm summons all firefighters in the National Capital Region to help put out the blaze
During the fire, he said residents fought with firefighters and tried to grab their fire hoses in a bid to save their burning homes.
Some residents even drew firearms to intimidate some of the firefighters, while others threw stones at the fire trucks in frustration, he said.
“Naintindihan namin yan, siguro sa takbo ng damdamin,” Laguna said. — with Patricia Denise Chiu/RSJ, GMA News
Websource: GMA News Online