City engineer to start demolishing burned mall in Pasay

MANILA, Philippines - City workers in Pasay City are due to start tearing down the firewall of the Pure Gold shopping mall along Libertad Street, following fears by residents it may collapse anytime. But radio dzBB reported early Monday that the city engineer's office voiced concerns the demolition may affect anew operations of the nearby Light Rail Transit. Last weekend, firefighters started coordinating with Pasay City engineers in demolishing the Pure Gold mall to protect residents in a nearby residential area from falling debris. At least 100 houses near the mall remain in danger of being crushed if the mall, which was razed last Thursday, were to collapse. Earlier, residents voiced fears the razed mall building would crush them and their houses if it collapsed. The mall caught fire before dawn Thursday. It took firefighters more than 16 hours to contain it. Flames were seen from inside the building as recently as early Saturday. Management of the shopping mall said it will shoulder the expenses for the demolition, the report said. - GMANews.TV