70 families lose homes in Novaliches, QC fire

Around 70 families or 200 individuals lost their homes after a fire gutted a residential area in Bagong Landas De Jesus Compound in Barangay San Agustin, Novaliches, Quezon City on Friday night.

The fire, which was first reported at 7:39 p.m., reached the third alarm at 8:53 p.m. as it quickly spread among the houses made of light materials.

Residents went up on rooftops with pails of water to help douse the fire, according to GMA News reporter Gabriel Gonzales.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) declared fire out at 11:56 p.m.

A 59-year-old man was injured and had second-degree burns on the arm and chest.

Fire Senior Inspector Erickson Guila, Station 5 commander of the Quezon City Fire District of BFP-National Capital Region, said firemen had difficulty putting out the fire.

"Naglalabasan ng gamit 'yung mga residente. Sinasalubong nila, sinasalubong nila 'yung pagdating ng, paglapit ng ating tropang bumbero. So 'yun 'yung isang nagpa-delay," Guila said.

(Residents were coming out of the compound with their things. They were blocking the way of our firemen. So that was one cause of delay.)

"Tapos mapapansin n'yo, makikitid din 'yung kalsada dito sa pinangyarihan at double parking din," he added.

(Then you will notice that the road is narrow, and there is double parking.)

More or less 40 houses were damaged in the fire.

The BFP is conducting an investigation to determine the cause of the fire and the amount of property damage.

Affected residents went to the nearby church with their pets and household items they managed to save.

The barangay also opened its evacuation center to house affected residents temporarily. —KG, GMA News