200 houses razed in Quiapo fire

At least one person was reported hurt while 200 houses were razed and a school damaged in a fire that hit the Golden Mosque compound in Manila’s Quiapo district Friday afternoon. Arson investigators are still trying to determine what caused the fire that started around 4 p.m. at the compound, radio dzBB reported early Saturday. The report quoted investigators as saying the fire caused at least P1 million in damage to property. An earlier report by dzBB’s Divine Caraecle said a 20-year-old person was reported hurt in the fire, which reportedly started at a three-story house near the mosque. Many residents tried to get to their houses despite warnings from police and firefighters against the danger posed by the fire. However, the report said the residents failed to even get near their burning homes because of the heat. Volunteer firefighter group TXTFire tweeted the fire started shortly before 4 p.m. It said the fire reached the fifth alarm but was placed under control at about 5 p.m. — LBG, GMA News