By Priam F. Nepomuceno and Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan
MANILA, May 14 (PNA) –Death toll at the fire that gobbled up two-storey building of a slipper factory in Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela City rose to 72 on Thursday afternoon while 10 more people were reported still missing.
Police and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFD) retrieval teams recovered 72 charred bodies from Kentex Manufacturing, Inc. building, which was razed by fire from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday.
Earlier reports said more than 70 company workers were trapped inside the two-storey building. The victims were trapped inside the 2nd floor as its windows had steel barriers.
Recovery efforts were being spearheaded by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFD) and the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Scene of the Crime Operatives.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, together with police and BFP officials inspected on Thursday the recovered charred remains of fire victims, mostly beyond recognition.
Roxas, with BFD regional director Sergio Soriano and National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Police Director Carmelo Valmoria, reported 72 bodies were recovered.
“Possibly, the number of dead bodies will no longer increase” Soriano said.
A spark from welding equipment near the storage for chemicals allegedly started the fire, according to the statements of survivors.
“Someone will be liable for this.” Roxas said adding the family who owned the factory would be one of the primary suspects for the tragedy.
BFP spokesperson Supt. Renato Marcial earlier said that they were still determining the exact cause of the fire but added that some witnesses were claiming that sparks from welding equipment triggered the inferno.
The owner said the factory employed almost 200 employees, but he was still uncertain about the number of employees on duty during the fire.
Meanwhile, President Aquino ensured help to the families of the victims while the city government of Valenzuela and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) were also on standby to give aid. (PNA)