700 families lose homes in Quezon City fire

More than 700 families lost their homes after a fire hit a residential area in Barangay Damayang Lagi, Quezon City on Sunday afternoon, GMA News’ Mark Zambrano said in an Unang Balita report on Monday.

A Super Radyo dzBB report on Sunday said the fire broke out at around 2:30 p.m.

The BFP raised the fire alarm to Task Force Alpha at around 3:30 p.m. but was declared under control at 5:20 p.m., the report added.

More than 50 firetrucks responded to the scene, the Unang Balita report said.

The houses were only made of light materials, causing the fire to spread rapidly, it added.

Residents were left with no choice but to save whatever they could from their burning houses.

Several explosions were also heard during the fire incident possibly caused by LPG tanks, the report said.

An elderly woman fainted, while a man was apprehended by authorities for alleged stealing.

According to Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Chief Inspector Aristotle Banyaga, the fire started at the house of a certain Ryan Tan.

“Ang estimated ng nasunog na kabahayan ay more or less 230 at umaabot ng 700 na family,” Banyaga said in the Unang Balita report.

He added that the estimated property damage was up to P1.5 million.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire and the exact amount of property damage. —Erwin Colcol/KG, GMA News