Couple killed in Quezon City fire

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A live-in couple died after a fire hit a residential area in Barangay E. Rodriguez, Quezon City, on Monday afternoon.

According to a report of GMA News' James Agustin on Unang Balita on Tuesday, the victims, a 30-year-old man and his 26-year-old partner, were found dead inside the bathroom of their rented home.

Firefighters said retrieving the victims' bodies was difficult because the four-storey residential structure had collapsed. Piles of roofing sheets made access to the affected area more difficult.

The man's sister said she traveled from Rizal to Cubao to look for the couple after failing to contact them for several hours.

Residents told authorities that the man had just returned from driving a tricycle when the fire broke out. He reportedly tried to wake up his sleeping partner and get her out of the house but failed to escape himself.

The fire started shortly before 5 p.m. on Monday and reached the fourth alarm. It took nearly six hours before authorities declared it under control.

More than 60 fire trucks responded to the incident, according to the Quezon City Fire District (QCFD).

The blaze destroyed 120 houses, most of which were made of light materials, and affected around 200 families. Several residents managed to save only a few belongings.

Modular tents have been set up in two schools to serve as temporary evacuation centers for the displaced families.

The QCFD is still investigating the cause of the fire and assessing the total cost of property damage. — VDV, GMA News