Boy killed in Sta. Mesa, Manila fire

A boy was reported killed in a fire that gutted a row of houses in Manila's Sta. Mesa district shortly before noon Wednesday. QTV-11 television cited initial reports identifying the fatality as a certain Jay-Jay Fernandez, but no other details were available. It said at least 19 houses were destroyed in the fire, which started at 10 a.m. and was put out shortly before noon. No one else was reported injured in the fire. Radio dzEC cited an initial estimate by Manila fire marshal Senior Superintendent Pablito Cordeta placing the damage to property at P200,000. Cordeta said the fire reached the fourth alarm before responding firefighters put it out. He also cited initial investigation showing the fire started from the house of the Estabillo family, but it remained unclear what caused the fire. -GMANews.TV