Fire razes school, law offices, and gym in Meycauayan

An old building housing a school, law offices, and a gym in Meycauayan, Bulacan was razed by fire before dawn on Thursday, a report on News To Go said.

The fire occurred at around 2:30 a.m. at Mancon Building in Brgy. Calvario, GMA News' Victoria Tulad reported.

It quickly spread, prompting authorities to raise the fifth alarm.

Heidi Deleña, the security guard on duty, could not say how the fire started.

However, she said she saw fire first coming out of a room at the ACLC College which is on the second floor of the building.

Firemen had difficulty putting out the fire. They also ran out of water for a time to douse the fire.

Building owner Manuel Hermoso Cruz Jr. expressed dismay at the tragedy, saying he inherited the edifice from his parents.

"Ginawa 'yan 1964. 'Yun lang alam ko. Bata pa 'ko tapos lahat 'yan puro kahoy kaya mabilis masunog," he said.

The fire was declared under control past 5 a.m. even if the fifth alarm was still raised at that time.

However, a few minutes before 6 a.m., fire broke out in the front part of the building.

The third floor being rented by the Emmanuel John Institute of Science and Technology was razed.

The owner said some law offices and a gym were also affected.

Other establishments in the building, among them the Bank of Makati, PBCom, and Malayan Bank were not affected by the fire.

Fire Chief Insp. Jose Raymond Manimbo of the Bureau of Fire Protection in Meycauayan said the building had a firewall but due to the intensity of the fire, heat transfer caused it to spread.

Authorities are conducting an investigation as of posting time to determine the cause of the fire.

No estimate of property damage was given yet.

Alfie Gonzales, a teacher of ACLC College, said it is impossible for the fire to have started from their classroom since they turn off the breaker every night. —KG, GMA News