Philippines fire kills 15, many nursing students

[one...two...tree 2,762]

By JIM GOMEZ, Associated Press Jim Gomez, Associated Press MANILA, Philippines – A fire rapidly swept through a budget hotel in the northern Philippines early Sunday burning to death 15 people — several crammed in bathrooms where they fled in panic. Nine of the victims were nursing students in town to take a licensing exam.

Some firefighters were moved to tears after finding the badly burned bodies in the upper floors of the five-story hotel and offered prayers before retrieving the remains, fire investigator Daniel Abana said. The fire raged for eight hours and gutted the Bed and Breakfast Pension House in Cagayan province's capital of Tuguegarao city.

The students who survived the fire went on to take the exam on Sunday, including one who showed up in slippers and sleeping clothes.

Relatives grieved at a morgue where remains of victims, 14 burned beyond recognition, were brought. Some fainted as body bags were brought into a funeral parlor.

"Their families spent fortunes to send these children to school only to see them end that way," Abana told The Associated Press by telephone.

The fire started on the ground floor, apparently fueled by car tires and other combustible materials stored in an automobile parts store. Paint cans also may have been in the building, which was recently renovated, Abana said.

Dozens of guests, roused by the commotion, were rescued by firefighters and police out of the still-smoldering building through the main gate and fire escapes. Some managed to escape on their own but others may have panicked and got trapped by the flames, Cagayan police chief Mao Aplasca said.

The dead included nine nursing students. The rest were members of the family that owned the hotel, including three children, Aplasca said.

Many of the dead had crammed in bathrooms on the top two floors. One victim had a foot stuck out of a window in a desperate attempt to survive, Abana said.

At least 12 nursing students were taken to hospitals with minor burns. The building was still smoldering when firefighters broke in and scrambled to search for the 15 victims, police said.

"It's so close to Christmas, we wept when we saw their bodies," Abana told The AP.

A nursing college instructor, Romeo Opido, told police that about 36 nursing students from nearby provinces were at the hotel in Tuguegarao, about 215 miles (350 kilometers) north of Manila. At least 27 escaped and 9 were missing, he said before the bodies were discovered.

Aileen Gonzales, an aunt of one of the students believed to have perished in the fire, said what happened was a twin disaster because her nephew died just days before Christmas and her family had hoped she would pass the nursing exam and work abroad.

Many Filipino students from middle-income and impoverished families have taken nursing courses in recent years in the hope of landing relatively high-paying jobs abroad. Their massive departure has alarmed officials in the poor Southeast Asian country, which sorely lacks medical workers and hospitals.

Cagayan fire official Neil Caranguian said investigators have not determined the cause of the blaze. Faulty electrical equipment, overcrowding and weak enforcement of safety regulations have been blamed for many deadly fires in the Philippines.

http://news.yahoo.co...ines_hotel_fire

[Joe and Ann 6]

To lose anyone, especially such promising young people and at this time of year, is always a cause for deep sadness. We pray for the souls of the departed: that they find rest among the saints and that their memory be eternal. We also pray that the One whose nativity we celebrate gives comfort to their families and friends now and in the times ahead.

[Markieboy 104]

How tragic! Our deepest condolences to the victims' families and friends.

[Jared and May 16]

That's so tragic.. Thoughts & prayers with those that have lost someone..

[marklovetina 52]

(F)

[DARUMA07 25]

(F)......Very Sad.

[Atencio 43]

"Their families spent fortunes to send these children to school only to see them end that way," Abana told The Associated Press by telephone.

That sentence seems kind of ill-spoken to me especially from a Fire Marshall.

Very sad story.

[sweet angel 5]

So tragic! Condolences for the victim's family..

[John+Lourdelie 28]

It's beyond sad. I am trying to imagine how much more sad it would be if I were a petitioner waiting to hear how my beneficiary did on her nursing exam, only to hear she is now missing from that hotel, never to be seen again. Corruption Kills!

***Picture remove from quote.***

Very sad indeed. But even more than that, how could you post a picture like that in reference to this tragic story?

John

[Tahoma 2,291]

Very sad indeed. But even more than that, how could you post a picture like that in reference to this tragic story?

John

Agreed!

(F) (F) (F) (F) (F) (F) (F) (F)

[SuperDuper! 230]

It was just a screen shot from the movie "Terminator" when Linda Hamilton got nuked. Sorry if it shocked you.

[SuperDuper! 230]

Thanks for the personal attack, adam. I however still think you are a good person. I was simply commenting how the corruption in the Philippines kills. If that hotel was properly maintained and inspected, we would not be having this converstion.

ps, insulting the moderators really isn't a good idea, either.

Cheers!

Edited December 19, 2010 by Boing!

[Krikit 1,163]

Offensive images removed from thread. Please post responsibly. Thank you.

[Krikit 1,163]

Post violating the TOS has been removed and administrative action taken.

[SuperDuper! 230]

Offensive images removed from thread. Please post responsibly. Thank you.

Thank you, Krikit. I admit it was a shocking illustration of how corruption can kill, and perhaps too graphic, albeit it was a scene from a popular movie that many of our members have seen over and over again.

Further, please forgive Adam on my behalf for his continued personal attacks on my humble but determined mental status.

May everyone have a blessed day and week, going into the Holy Days of Christmas, and whichever belief system one may subscribe to.