Mike in Manila - eclectic dreams

In the pre-dawn hours of Holy Saturday a fire whipped out thousands of homes in the Capitol suburb of Mandaluyong City, an area that is within a few miles of the manila financial districts of Ortigas and Makati. Reports say only two injuries were reported. Most urban dwellings like this sprawling shantytown often are victim to fires caused mostly by faulty or defective wiring. A number of homes typically are hooked up together to homes with electric meters often by simple extension cords.

Investigators are also looking into other possibilities as to the cause of the fire- oftentimes - arson can never really be ruled out in these fires which are seen also as a way owners of large tracts of land with squatter communities in the past have used to attempt to regain ownership and control over disputed areas such as this one. Another possible angle looked into -although unlikely - is the specter of terrorist arson - not unheard of but, in this case it is unlikely.

Also - heard on radio this Easter morning was another point of discussion - one radio host said - with the loss of so many homes and an entire district so close to election time - political gerrymandering is also being looked into - as 6,000 families could mean as many as 18,000 votes - in tight races a large movement of so many voters out of a district could change the balance of a tight election contest. news articles »

6000 homeless after five in Philippines
United Press International - MANDALUYONG CITY, April 7 (UPI) — An early morning fire that spread through several blocks of a city in the Philippines left more than 6000 people homeless …
1200 families lose homes in fire in Manila slum Peninsula On-line