“DUTY”
Many of the well-wishes were directed towards Rhodora Alcaraz, a young woman from the Philippines who started working in Hong Kong just a few days before the tragedy.
In an unverified but widely circulated account of events, Alcaraz shielded her employer’s three-month-old infant with her body when the fire broke out.
When firefighters found them in the smoke-filled apartment, she was still cradling the baby.
Alcaraz was reportedly admitted to an intensive care unit, though AFP was unable to confirm her latest condition.
Fellow migrant worker Michelle Magcale said she felt “so sad” and “speechless” upon hearing the news.
“I can’t express how sad it is,” the 49-year-old said.
“On behalf of her duty, on behalf of her responsibility, she saved one more life … we are thankful for that,” she added.
Balladares, the Filipino group leader, said, “We also salute her because she gave her best … to protect the family.”
Manila’s consulate in Hong Kong said a woman named Maryan Pascual Esteban was killed in the fire, leaving behind a 10-year-old son and her family in Cainta, Rizal.
One Filipino national was injured, and the status of seven others had yet to be verified, the consulate added.
Jakarta’s consulate said nine Indonesians were killed in the fire, with one injured and 42 others currently unaccounted for.
Source: CNA
