By Minka Klaudia Tiangco
About 33 families were rendered homeless in an alleged arson attack that hit a residential area and a motor shop at Pangarap Village, Barangay 181, Caloocan City on Friday past midnight.
According to a report, 11 houses were gutted by fire and about P500,000 were lost to the blaze.
Investigation showed that the fire broke out at about 12:45 a.m. along Quirino Highway, Dela Cruz Compound, Leo Street, Caloocan City.
The blaze reached 2nd alarm at about 1:48 a.m. and was put out at about 2:51 a.m.
Supt. Stephen Requina, chief fire marshal of the Caloocan City Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), said it took firefighters about 15 minutes to arrive at the area since they had to put out another fire at Barangay 176, Caloocan City.
Requina said there are no close circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the area but witnesses said they saw four men wearing black bonnets hanging fabrics at the area where the flames broke out.
Pieces of cloth soaked in gasoline, as well as liters of the flammable liquid, were retrieved near the area, he added.
The chief fire marshal said a land dispute may be the motive behind the suspects’ arson attack.
No casualties or injuries were reported in the fire.
Investigation is ongoing for the identification and arrest of the suspects.