One confirmed dead in Davao City mall fire

At least one individual has been confirmed dead in the fire that hit Davao's New City Commercial Center (NCCC) Mall on Saturday.

According to a report by Mav Gonzales on 24 Oras Weekend, a burned body has been recovered from the NCCC Mall on Sunday afternoon.

*Warning: Graphic Image*

EXCLUSIVE: One confirmed dead in NCCC Mall Davao fire. 37 beds are now prepared in SPMC for processing and identification of remains that will be found. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/K40AQAmL5C

— Mav Gonzales (@mavgonzales) December 24, 2017

The fire was said to be under control past 8 a.m. Sunday morning, and firefighters were able to reach the mall's fourth floor.

President Rodrigo Duterte met with the families of the missing and himself told them that it is unlikely that anyone still unaccounted for survived the fire.

"They were told na the chances of survival is zero at early this morning," Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said in the report.

Still, families of the individuals trapped inside are hoping that they will be reunited with their loved ones.

The father of Elyn Joy Yorsua, who works at a call center on the fourth floor, said that he learned that his daughter was among those trapped from a post she made on Facebook saying that there were 16 of them there. He said that his daughter and her colleagues had been unable to call because their cell phones had been placed in their lockers.

The father of another missing person, Alexandra Moreno Castillo, also hoped for good news.

"Nag-abala siya. She was trying to send all the people out. She was telling them [to go] out to safety based on her other companions at work," he said. "She's got asthma and I hope she can recover. Sana—the Lord is kind—na ma-save, wala namang casualty."

At least 36 individuals are still missing due to the blaze, which started at about 9:35 a.m. on the third floor of the four-storey shopping center.

Some people were able to get on the roof, and then climb down to a billboard framework on the side of the building, where they were later rescued.

At the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City, at least 38 beds have been prepared for the victims of the fire. — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/BM, GMA News