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Fire hits San Antonio building at height of Chaba
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Posted on Aug 23 2004
Fire gutted a retail store and a tire shop in San Antonio at the height of Typhoon Chaba Monday dawn.
Police said that based on people’s accounts, the fire, which broke out at 2:13am Monday, may have been caused by a lighted candle or lantern left unattended in the building.
Public Safety deputy commissioner Sandy Tudela said that fire personnel responded to the call but they decided to let the blaze die out by itself because the operation was extremely dangerous for personnel, given the typhoon condition.
“Our personnel were in the area and watched it closely so that it won’t spread to other houses but we couldn’t stop the fire because the safety of people was at stake,” he said.
He said no casualties were reported in the incident.
The fire eventually died at 4 am.
Officer Eric David of Crime Stoppers said the case remains under investigation. “Police are still looking at all angles. It’s a pending investigation,” he said.
Police said that the small store and the tire shop called “Chen Yan Horicam” was recently sold to a Chinese businessman. It used to be operated by a Mr. Ceron, who is currently in Manila.
Residents who live near the gutted shop said they did not sleep at all for fear that the fire would spread to their houses.
“We were very tense. It was a sleepless night for us here,” said a resident.
