JOLO, Philippines, 5 November 2007 — Three people died and thousands were left homeless after a fire swept through several neighborhoods in an island-town off Sulu province in the southern Philippines, officials said yesterday.
Dozens were hurt in the fire that began late afternoon on Saturday in South Laud village in Siasi town, the provincial police chief, Superintendent Ahiron Ajirim, said.
“At least two people — a couple — were reported to have died from the fire,” he said an interview.
Maj. Gen. Reuben Rafael, the military commander in Sulu, quoted disaster control officials as saying three people have died and that two those injured were Marine soldiers.
Khalil Hajibin, a member of the Sulu Provincial Council and leader of the relief operation, said more than 7,000 people lost their homes as a result of the fire that hit both residential and commercial neighborhoods.
Rafael said initial investigation showed that the fire started from a stall selling gasoline, and quickly spread to nearby shops and houses.
The fire, fanned by strong winds, spread rapidly as many of the houses in the village were made of wood, officials said.
Siasi Island, about 1,000 kilometers south of Manila, had no fire engines and that soldiers and policemen helped villagers fight the blaze.
Ajirim said five policemen were among those who lost their houses from the fire.
It was the second fire in two months in Sulu province.
Thousands were also left without homes after a fire broke out in the village of Asturias in the main island of Jolo in September.
