Baclaran mall fire still rages after more than 30 hrs

MANILA, Philippines - After more than 30 hours, firefighters managed to contain the fire at the first floor of a three-story mall in Baclaran, which has had been on fire since Sunday night. DZBB reported that as of 4 a.m. Tuesday, the firemen started training their fire hoses at the second floor of the mall near the Light Rail Transit terminal in Baclaran. The fire remained at Task Force Foxtrot, as firefighters still had to find the source of the fire. As of 4 a.m. Tuesday, thick smoke continued to billow from the building, affecting visibility as far as Pasay Rotonda and Roxas Boulevard. Earlier, arson investigators estimated at east P20 million in damages to property caused by the fire, which broke out at about 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Local watchmen and police had caught several men trying to get inside the building and loot its wares. The building contained stalls selling items ranging from fast food to clothing. - GMANews.TV