Residents of fire-hit community in Quezon City appeal for help

After welcoming the New Year out in the streets, residents of fire-hit Barangay Vasra in Quezon City on Wednesday asked for aid from the public.

The fire hit the area before 11 p.m. on Tuesday, an hour before the New Year, according to a report by Saleema Refran on GMA News' Balitanghali on Wednesday.

"Kailangan namin ng tulong. Halimbawa, damit, pagkain, wala na kaming ma-anuhan eh,"  Felisa Punay, a resident of the area, said.

At least 100 families lost their homes to the fire that destroyed at least 50 houses.

"Napakasakit na salubong ng bagong taon, diba? Hindi namin lubos maisip na ganyan pala yung bagong taon namin," resident Jocelyn Aragon said.

FIRE ALERT: Sunog sa isang residential area sa Brgy. Basra, Quezon City, nakataas na sa Task Force Alpha. | via @Rodveg72 pic.twitter.com/9swTSYciOc

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) December 31, 2019

According to the report, the fire originated from an unoccupied house in the area.

Due to lack of road access, firefighters had a hard time penetrating the fire-hit area. Thus, the fire was contained at about 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday, New Year's Day.

UPDATE: As of 1:30AM, sunog sa isang residential area sa Brgy. Basra, QC, kontrolado na; mahigit 50 na bahay, natupok ng apoy. | via @Rodveg72

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) December 31, 2019

"Hindi po yan paputok. Malamang po, posible po, dun sa kuryente," Quezon City District Fire chief inspector Joseph Del Mundo said.

Estimates pegged the fire damage at P150,000.

Meanwhile, affected residents are temporarily staying in a compound of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Environmental Management Bureau, according to a tweet on Super Radyo dzBB.

FIRE UPDATE: Mga nasunugan sa Brgy. Vasra, Quezon City, pansamantalang nanunuluyan sa compound ng @denr_emb. | via @luisitosantos03 pic.twitter.com/6Io25479sF

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) December 31, 2019

—Joahna Lei Casilao/LBG, GMA News