Baclaran blaze continues to spread; officials raise fire alarm level

The fire that hit a mall in Baclaran early Thursday continued to rage after more than five hours, spreading to nearby establishments including the Light Rail Transit (LRT). Radio dzBB reported that as of 11 a.m., the fire had reached Task Force Charlie, meaning firefighters required assistance from other fire-fighting units from all over Metro Manila. A shopping mall across the Galleria Baclaran was forced to close for the day, while many vendors in the area were forced to leave their posts. The report said flames had come close to the entrance of the LRT station in Baclaran, which had been padlocked hours earlier due to the thick smoke. - GMANews.TV