A worker was killed when a ceiling collapsed onto her during a blaze that destroyed a candle factory in Ozamiz City.
Authorities have said the fire started inside the Bryant Milling and Marketing candle factory in Barangay Carangan district of the Zamboanga city at about 10.30 this morning (Wednesday, August 22).
Acting City Fire Marshall Rolando Bondaco identified the fatality as Mitchell Lou Ramayrat. She was a supervisor at the the factory that produced wax, candles and drinking straws.
Investigators said workers were cooking paraffin wax using a ‘pugon’ — or furnace-style oven — when an explosion occurred.
Genara Ramayrat, the victim’s mother, told The Inquirer that her daughter was trapped inside the candle factory. Her body was eventually found inside a bathroom. Her body was severely burnt after part of a ceiling collapsed onto her.
Factory owner Bryant See expressed his sympathies for the victim’s family, but added that he was thankful that there were no other casualties. Injuries sustained by other members of staff were said to non-serious.
Marshall Bondaco has estimated the cost of the damage to be three million pesos.
The Bureau of Fire Protection declared the fire to be under control at noon.
Elsewhere in Zamboanga province today, ten families were forced to flee after flash floods inundated their homes.
Elmeir Apolinario, Disaster Risk Reduction Management officer, said the families from Curuan village were evacuated this afternoon.
He said: “I have confirmed with the Barangay Captain Noel Perez who is onsite and according to him, there are 10 families directly affected but said that the number might rise as the possibility of flooding in other areas in Curuan is possible.”
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