ILOILO CITY, Feb. 19 -- Two persons died in a fire that hit a residential and six boarding houses Sunday afternoon in Barangay San Nicolas in La Paz district, leaving 173 others homeless.

The fire that started at 4:15 p.m. gutted seven houses, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said.

An estimated total damage was placed at PHP2.1 million.

The fatalities were identified as call center agent Lyn Rose Sobretodo, 26, of Pototan town; and Renz David Aguilar, 22, a third-year civil engineering student, of the municipality of Concepcion.

Both were staying in a boarding house owned by Rocky Gordon.

Authorities believed the two victims could be asleep when the fire broke out.

"It's very sad. I condole with the families. I feel very bad that...