ON Saturday, a tragic news story from Zamboanga City capped off what was a terrible week for the Philippines: 15 people, most of them young children, were killed and at least another dozen badly hurt when a fire swept through the market building in which they were sleeping.

The fire was apparently caused by faulty electrical wiring. Although a source in the area confirmed that not all the entrances to the building were locked, the exit—which would have been the easiest escape route-- was. And that, combined with the congested interior of the building—a situation made worse by illegally-constructed stalls, the darkness, and the general panic—simply trapped the victims.

Premium + Digital Edition

Ad-free access


P 80 per month
(billed annually at P 960)
  • Unlimited ad-free access to website articles
  • Limited offer: Subscribe today and get digital edition access for free (accessible with up to 3 devices)

TRY FREE FOR 14 DAYS
See details
See details