The residence of Mark Joseph Pede located in Zone 3, Barangay Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, was engulfed in flames on the morning of Tuesday, April 23, 2024. Along with the house, P300,000 in cash was lost in the blaze.
According to Pede, his wife first rescued their youngest child who was trapped inside the burning house. The P300,000 in cash, which Pede said he had borrowed to purchase a jeep, was left behind. Pede was not home when the fire broke out as he was at work.
(Photo by Taguig DRRMO)
Pede mentioned that he intended to use the jeep for his livelihood, but the money he just borrowed on Monday was consumed by the fire.
Pede was able to recover some portions of the thousand-peso bills where the serial numbers were still visible. However, according to the Central Bank of the Philippines (BSP), only bills where 60% of the bill's portion can still be seen, including the signature of the President of the Philippines or the BSP Governor, the security thread is still intact, and the money can still be identified, can be replaced.
The Bureau of Fire Protection reported that 15 families comprising of 61 individuals were affected by the fire.
Three of the fire victims suffered from smoke inhalation, while a firefighter was injured after his hand was cut by glass while putting out the fire.
Preliminary investigations point to an overheating electric fan as the fire's origin.
