Building fire in Manila's Chinatown kills 11

After receiving the alarm at around 7:30 a.m. on August 2 (local time), about 14 fire trucks arrived at the scene and fought the fire for more than two hours to control the blaze in an old 5-storey building in one of the world's oldest Chinatowns, a densely populated riverside area of the capital Manila.

Ambulances carry victims of a fire in Chinatown in Manila, Philippines, August 2. Photo: EPA

Fire Inspector Roderick Andres said the fire started in a restaurant on the ground floor and several employees were killed. He added that most of the dead were found on the second and third floors, with no one else reported missing. An investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the fire.

“The wife of the building owner was among the dead,” said Nelson Ty, an elected official of the community where the fire broke out, adding that street vendors had been using the building to store goods at night. However, he said it was not yet clear whether more people were trapped and presumed dead.

Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna has expressed condolences to the families of the victims and ordered inspections to ensure old buildings comply with safety regulations and standards.

In the past, lax enforcement of safety regulations has caused many deadly fires in the Philippines, especially in buildings, homes and offices.

Last August, a fire at a residential building and warehouse killed 16 people, while a massive fire engulfed Manila's historic Central Post Office building in May that same year.

In 2017, a fire at a shopping mall in southern Davao City killed 37 call center operators and a security guard.

A 1996 nightclub fire killed 162 people, mostly students celebrating the end of the school year, in Quezon City, in the capital region. About 400 people were packed into the Ozone discotheque when the fire started, but many were unable to escape because the exits were blocked by a new building next door.

Ngoc Anh (according to Reuters, AP)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/chay-toa-nha-o-pho-nguoi-hoa-tai-manila-khien-11-nguoi-thiet-mang-post306001.html