Hotel blaze kills seven including Americans and a South Korean
- 12 years ago
Three Americans and a South Korean were among seven people killed in a fire that razed a small hotel near a former U.S. naval base in the Philippine city of Olongapo on Friday, the city's fire department said.
The fire broke out before dawn at Dryden Hotel, located in an entertainment district, trapping guests inside rooms with barred windows on the second storey.
Three of the bodies were badly burnt, and the victims likely died of suffocation, the Olongapo City fire department said.
Investigators are exploring whether the fire could have been sparked by an overload of the hotel's electric system, they haven't ruled out foul play.
Many retired servicemen have settled down in Olongapo City, after the United States left a naval base in neighbouring Subic Bay in 1991.
Olongapo City was known for its vibrant red light district often frequented by American navymen when the U.S. base was in full swing. Its beach resorts are also popular with tourists.
Many South Koreans also stay in Subic Bay, where shipping giant Hanjin operates a shipyard.
The fire broke out before dawn at Dryden Hotel, located in an entertainment district, trapping guests inside rooms with barred windows on the second storey.
Three of the bodies were badly burnt, and the victims likely died of suffocation, the Olongapo City fire department said.
Investigators are exploring whether the fire could have been sparked by an overload of the hotel's electric system, they haven't ruled out foul play.
Many retired servicemen have settled down in Olongapo City, after the United States left a naval base in neighbouring Subic Bay in 1991.
Olongapo City was known for its vibrant red light district often frequented by American navymen when the U.S. base was in full swing. Its beach resorts are also popular with tourists.
Many South Koreans also stay in Subic Bay, where shipping giant Hanjin operates a shipyard.