Shopping mall fire kills 24 on Christmas day

Manila: Tragedy struck some parts of the Philippines on Christmas day as at least 24 people died and 21 were injured when a fire razed a one-storey shopping mall in Ormoc City in Leyte province.

The fire is believed to be caused by firecrackers.

Investigators found the charred bodies of victims, mostly shoppers. More bodies were expected to be recovered yesterday, according to authorities.

The injured were taken to two local hospitals.

"We can't identify the vendors or the customers because most of the bodies were severely burnt.

"But there were vendors and customers inside the mall when the fire hit," Senior Superintendent Manuel Cobillo, acting Ormoc police director, said in an interview on dzEC radio.

Cobillo said the fire started at 4pm on Christmas Day inside the Uni-Top shopping mall in Ormoc City. Initial results of the investigation showed that firecrackers being sold inside the establishment exploded near the entrance trapping shoppers and employees.

Exit doors locked

The exit doors of the mall which the victims could have used to escape were found locked.

"There were exits but they were locked. Many people tried to hide in the comfort room. Some of the women victims were pregnant," said Cobillo. In the mall's toilet, 23 charred remains were found. He said people near the entrance managed to escape.

A Taiwanese national who is said to be the owner of the establishment is now being hunted by authorities to explain why the exit doors of the mall were locked.

The Philippines health department has been urging Filipinos to stay away from lighting firecrackers during the Yuletide due to increasing cases of injuries and deaths.

While there is a law that prohibits the sale and use of strong firecrackers and pyrotechnics, many Filipinos are still drawn to use them to celebrate the holidays.

Fatal ride

Meanwhile, six minors were thrown out during a carnival ride that killed one of them in suburban Marikina City. A 10-year-old girl died after a car ride malfunctioned throwing off six minors on Christmas Day, reports said.

Superintendent Sotero Ramos, Marikina police chief, told dzBB radio that the victims were hurt after the screws near the car ride section where they were seated suddenly came loose and eventually gave way.

Authorities said the owners of the carnival would be made liable for the tragedy.