MANILA - Sixteen people were killed when a fire engulfed a slum area in the central Philippines on Monday, police said.

The hour-long blaze began before dawn in one of the shanties in the outskirts of Bacolod city and quickly spread to burn down 47 homes, said local police spokesman Chief Inspector Rico Santotome.

Arson investigators said the blaze may have been caused by a candle lit by one of the residents to honour the dead on All Souls' Day, police said.

Maktoob