Two dead in early morning apartment fire in Iligan City

A devastating fire engulfed a two-storey apartment building in Purok 5, Barangay Pala-o in Iligan City early Thursday morning, resulting in two confirmed deaths, authorities reported.

Barangay Pala-o chairman Romeo Manzano verified that two people perished in the blaze, though their identities have not been disclosed pending notification of next of kin. Fire Officer 4 Julian Tablon of the city fire department was coordinating response efforts at the scene.

The fire broke out in the residential structure during the predawn hours, with firefighters responding to contain the spread to neighboring properties. Details regarding the cause of the fire and the circumstances surrounding the fatalities remained under investigation as of Thursday.

The incident marks another fire-related tragedy in the Mindanao region, underscoring ongoing concerns about residential fire safety in densely populated urban areas. Authorities have not yet indicated whether there were other residents in the building at the time of the blaze or whether additional evacuation assistance was required.