Two senior citizens—a 70-year-old woman and a 69-year-old man—tragically perished in a fire that swept through a residential area at the corner of D. Gomez Street and Sandico Street in Barangay Tejeros, Makati City, early Saturday morning, January 24. The incident was confirmed by Makati City Mayor Nancy Binay.
According to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), the blaze ignited at around 1:57 a.m., quickly escalated to the second alarm at 1:59 a.m., and reached the third alarm by 2:35 a.m. Firefighters managed to declare the fire out at 6:40 a.m.
In addition to the fatalities, six individuals sustained injuries or required medical attention: a 24-year-old man with abrasion wounds, a 37-year-old woman who experienced weakness, an 81-year-old man suffering from dementia, a 25-year-old woman with abrasions on her elbows, a 20-year-old woman who experienced dizziness, a 50-year-old woman who suffered a seizure.
The Makati Social Welfare Department (MSWD) reported that 185 families, totaling 502 individuals, were severely affected by the fire.
Relief operations are ongoing to provide assistance to displaced residents.
Arson investigators are currently probing the cause of the blaze and assessing the extent of property damage. (Patrick Garcia)
