A large portion of the Landers Superstore at the corner of Belfast Avenue and Quirino Highway, Barangay Pasong Putik, burned down early Wednesday morning. The fire broke out around 4 a.m. and spread quickly, prompting the incident to be raised to fifth alarm.
According to resident Peter Fuerte, who lives near the burned establishment, he woke up to a series of explosions and smoke.
“At first there was just a little smoke, but then it got bigger… I ran inside and the wall collapsed… My wife was shaking… It was really a blast,” he said.
FSInsp. Bernardo Soriano, chief of the Fire Investigation and Intelligent Section of the Quezon City Fire District, explained that almost 80 percent of the one-story building with a basement was consumed. “The fire spread quickly because the contents of the store were mixed—department store and groceries. We used self-contained breathing apparatus to enter the building,” he added.
No fatalities or injuries were reported, but some walls caved in and glass shattered due to the extreme heat of the fire. The fire was declared under control at around 8 a.m., while the BFP continues its investigation to determine the cause and total damage caused.
Meanwhile, Landers Superstore issued a statement regarding the temporary closure of the Fairview branch. They recommended that customers may head to other branches such as Balintawak, UP Town Center, and other nearby branches.
