Fire guts residential area in Manila

A fire engulfed a residential area in Sampaloc, Manila, early morning on Wednesday, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) reported.

The blaze started at a residential area on M. Dela Fuente Street near Amelia Street in Barangay 439.

The BFP raised the first alarm at 12:35 a.m. and the fourth alarm past 1 a.m., according to a report by GMA Integrated News' Jhomer Apresto.

Residents pumped water at a deep well to help firemen put out the fire.

Sparks were seen on the power lines as the fire continued to spread fast among the houses made of light materials.

Residents said they were asleep when the fire started and woke up to shouts that a blaze was ongoing.

The BFP was able to put the fire under control at 1:44 a.m. Seventy fire trucks responded.

Firemen had difficulty putting out the fire due to lack of water supply and the vehicles illegally parked on the road. 

"Sinubukan nating buksan [ang fire hydrant], wala pong gaanong tubig. So medyo naghanap po tayo ng mas malapit na fire hydrant para po makakuha tayo ng supply," BFP Manila Station 5 Commander Fire Senior Inspector Cesar Babante said on Apresto's report on Unang Balita.

(We tried to open the fire hydrant nearby but not much water was coming out. So we looked for another fire hydrant to get [water] supply.)

Fire out was declared at 5:44 a.m. 

Seventy houses were razed and 200 families were left homeless. No one was injured or died, the BFP said.

BFP said the initial estimated cost of property damage was at P300,000.

Personnel of the Manila Department of Social Welfare and Development went to the area to find out how many residents were affected and to give them assistance.

The BFP is meanwhile continuing its investigation to determine what caused the fire.

Some residents went back to the area to see what they could retrieve from their houses.

The residents appealed for donations of clean clothes including underwear, and hygiene kits. —LDF/KG, GMA Integrated News