The bizarre fire that destroyed a shoe factory to complete ruins in the Philippine capital city of Manila has incurred around 72 lives, according to the latest statement issued by the officials.
Police and other rescue forces, however, have ‘vowed’ to take initiate immediate action against those responsible for the deadly act, amidst the workers’ claims of poor health and hazardous safety standards. “Definitely there will be charges here, because people died,” acting national police chief Leonardo Espina stated in a report. Officials state that the fire started when sparks from an ongoing welding work ignited nearby inflammable chemicals, at the building’s entrance.
Most of the victims are apparently considered to have been suffocated and died as a result of the thick black smoke from burning rubber and chemicals. Officials have struggled to count the dead owing to the difficulties of retrieving bodies from the wreckage and other debris.
The owner of the factory, that is operated by Kentex Manufacturing and produces rubber flip- flops and sandals, stated that around 200-300 people were inside the building at the time of the incident.
Valenzuela city mayor Rexlon Gatchalian told to the AFP news agency that he did not really expect the death toll to rise much further, as the number of bodies retrieved corresponded to the number of people missing.
