Philippines launches criminal probe into fire at shopping centre that left 37 people dead
Deadly blazes occur regularly in the Philippines, particularly in slum areas where there are virtually no fire safety standards
Philippine authorities ordered a criminal investigation on Monday into a shopping centre fire that authorities said likely killed 37 people, including call centre staff from an American firm.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre announced the inquiry as firefighters prepared to enter what remained of the NCCC mall in the southern city of Davao where they hope to retrieve those who perished in Saturday’s blaze.
The fire compounded the Christmas misery in the south of the mainly Catholic nation where tens of thousands were also displaced by floods and landslides from a storm that also killed more than 200 others on Friday.
“The loss of lives and the resulting damage … underscore the need to determine if someone is at fault and should be held criminally liable,” Aguirre said in a statement. “By punishing those responsible, we can set an example to others so that, hopefully, there will be no repetition of those tragedies.”
Deadly blazes occur regularly in the Philippines, particularly in slum areas where there are virtually no fire safety standards.
The loss of lives and the resulting damage … underscore the need to determine if someone is at fault
Relatives of the missing said many of those still unaccounted for were staff from a call centre for the US-based market research company SSI that occupied the building’s top floor.
