MANILA, Philippines – A mother and her two young children were injured after jumping from the fourth floor of their burning apartment along Herbosa Street, Barangay 91, Tondo, Manila, at around 3 a.m. on Tuesday, August 19.
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| Photo courtesy: Barangay 91, Tondo, Manila Chairman Antonio Acilo / BFP-NCR Manila City |
According to Ariel Aguilar, the blaze intensified quickly, forcing his wife and children to jump in a desperate bid to escape.
“Naghanap akong pamamaraan para anuhin... Hindi na ko nakabalik. Nalaman ko nalang na tumalon daw sila," Aguilar said.
They landed on the roof of a nearby chicken coop, which lessened the impact and reduced the injuries they sustained.
They were immediately rushed to the hospital for treatment. Barangay Chairman Antonio Acilo confirmed in a radio interview that they were in stable condition but in severe pain as they awaited X-ray results.
"For X-ray na sila nung iniwan ko. Stable na pero namimilipit sa sakit," Brgy. Chairman Antonio Acilo said in a DZBB interview.
Although the fire was contained and did not spread to nearby structures, firefighters faced difficulties extinguishing the flames due to the narrow streets in the area.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Manila raised the alarm to first level, deploying about 20 fire trucks to respond to the scene.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire, which affected a several households.
— The Summit Express