Tacloban village councilor, wife killed in fire

INQUIRER FILES TACLOBAN CITY — A village councilor and his wife were killed after a fire destroyed their home and partially damaged two others in New Hope Village, Barangay 107, Sta. Elena, early Sunday morning, July 19. The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) regional office said the fire was reported at 6:08 a.m. and was declared extinguished at about 6:30 a.m. Authorities withheld the victims’ identities as of press time. No other injuries were reported. Article continues after this advertisement READ: Fire engulfs 25 houses in Tacloban village The blaze destroyed the couple’s house, where their bodies were found, and damaged two other residential structures, affecting three families, or six individuals, according to the BFP’s initial report. Neighbors said the couple had attended a relative’s birthday celebration before the incident and may have been asleep when the fire broke out, possibly preventing them from escaping. The BFP estimated the property damage at about P60,000. The cause of the fire remained undetermined as of press time, and the investigation is ongoing. New Hope Village is one of the government-built housing communities for families displaced by Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), which devastated Tacloban City and other parts of the country on Nov. 8, 2013. /mcm Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again. Your subscription has been successful.