Fire breaks out at QC's Mega Q-Mart

A fire broke out Tuesday morning at the Mega Q-Mart market located at the corner of EDSA and Ermin Garcia Street in Quezon City.

The fire broke out at the market's dry-goods section at around 4:44 a.m. and reached Fourth Alarm.

[4:55 a.m] Part of Qmart on fire. | via @CONNIEsison pic.twitter.com/I2MDglt0tV

— GMA News (@gmanews) July 16, 2018

According to a report on Unang Balita by Victoria Tulad, a security guard said the fire reached the office of Mega Q-Mart.

The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. A vendor said the fire may have started from a vape shop, but this has not yet been confirmed by authorities.

EARLIER: Fire at Mega Q Mart in QC. Fire started around 4:44am and reached the fourth alarm. Under control at 5:38am @gmanews @UnangHirit pic.twitter.com/f8FQNUpgLf

— Victoria Tulad (@victoriatulad) July 16, 2018

In a report on News to Go, a shopkeeper said the fire may have come from a store selling slippers.

"Bandang 4:30 may pumutok sa tabi namin. Siguro, mga 4:45, nakita ko nalang umaapoy 'yung du'n sa may kisame namin sa katabing tsinelasan," Emkei Escueta said.

The fire quickly spread to the dry goods section which contained slippers, cellphone cases, and kitchen items.

Many tenants stood near the side of the market, watching firemen battle the fire as fire trucks occupied the lane on EDSA in front of the market, causing traffic build-up.

The fire was put under control at 5:38 a.m. 

According to the News to Go report, that no fewer than 20 stalls were damaged. The blaze also engulfed the barracks for security guards and some police outposts.

According to an official of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), the building's structural integrity has to be checked to determine whether it could still be rehabilitated.

The damage has been estimated to be in the millions of pesos. —with a report by Margaret Claire Layug/DVM/KG/BM, GMA News