Around 1,000 houses were razed to the ground after a fire hit a residential area in Barangay Lamion, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi evening on Tuesday, February 3, 2026.

According to the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), the fire broke out at past 10 p.m. and was declared fire out at around 2 a.m. on Wednesday, February 4, 2026.

Authorities evacuated the families affected via land and sea.

The fire reportedly spread quickly due to strong winds and because most of the houses affected were made of light materials.

Several foot bridges were also destroyed, which made rescue and firefighting operations difficult.The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) is looking into an electrical problem as the possible cause of the fire.

“There is a certain house, may narinig silang tinig na parang spark and then suddenly, bumulaga na yung apoy. Because mostly sa mga bahay doon, made of light materials, mabilis yan mag-spread. We are still going deeper in our investigation to determine kung ano talaga ang possible cause,” Bongao Fire Station Acting Municipal Fire Marshal, Inspector Wagner Kamlian, said.

BFP said the damage was estimated at P17 million.

The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) is still validating the total number of displaced families, who are staying temporarily at evacuation sites, rescue area of the Phiiippine Coast Guard (PCG), and the provincial isolation facility.

No one was reported dead in the incident while the number of reported injuries is being verified.

“Kung reported deaths wala pero sa injury, minor lang. Pero hindi pa namin sila nabilang kasi mixed na yun sa responders mismo pati sa civilian na tumulong,” Bongao MDRRM Officer, Al-Gibran Amilasan, said.

“Agad tayong nagpadala ng apat na grupo ng disaster response group, kung saan nagpadala din tayo ng apat na floating assets. May mga tao na tumalon, maliliit kasi ang mga daanan doon, so ang ginawa nila, dito na sila tumalon sa likod,” Coast Guard Station Central Tawi-Tawi Commander, Lt. J.G. Vasit Venturillo, said.

Personnel of the Ministry of Social Services and Development (MSSD) extended assistance to the families affected. They distributed sleeping kits, bottled water, biscuits, cleaning kits, and tarpaulin sheets.