ORMOC CITY — It was a fiery instead of a merry Christmas Day in Ormoc City after 24 people died in a department store fire that was reportedly caused by exploding firecrackers. The victims were either shoppers or staff of Unitop Bargain Center located along Real St. in downtown Ormoc.
A total of 21 others have also been
reported injured in the fired that was tapped at 4:40 p.m. on December 25 and
was put off only over hours later. according to a report from The Freeman. By
Wednesday, December 28, the death toll climbed to 31.
Fire probers say that illegally sold
firecrackers inside the store premises were the cause of the blaze.
Senior Fire Officer Virgilio Betancor
said that witnesses claimed to have seen a boy buying firecrackers and asked a
female cashier how to light it. The witnesses added that the boy actually lit
one firecraker and threw it towards the stall containing firecrackers for sale
starting a series of explosions and the blaze.
Since the firecrackers were displayed at the
entrance of the department store, many of the shoppers and staff were trapped
inside when the fire broke out.
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