295 families lose homes in Tondo fire

MANILA, Philippines — At least 295 families were displaced after a fire razed an impoverished area near Delpan Bridge in Manila on Wednesday morning.

The blaze started around 9:30 a.m. at the second floor of a house on Valderama Street in Binondo. It reached the third alarm but authorities declared a fire out around 11:30 a.m.

A report from the city’s Bureau of Fire Protection said an unattended lighted candle near an altar was the cause of the blaze that spread to dozens of houses and damaged about P100,000 worth of property.

The city government, meanwhile, assured affected families of assistance.

“We are looking at using Jose Abad Santos High School as a temporary shelter,” said Manila Department of Social Welfare director Re Fugoso.

She added that modular tents would be set up inside the evacuation facility to maintain physical distancing while the temperature of residents would be checked before entry.