TONDO INFERNO Those are not stars but flying embers. Saturday night’s fire in a crowded Manila neighborhood lasted for four hours and engulfed around 40 homes. JILSON SECKLER TIU
MANILA, Philippines–At least 80 families in Tondo, Manila, were rendered homeless by a fire that lasted for four hours and reached the fifth alarm Saturday night mainly because firefighters had difficulty penetrating the area through the narrow alleys.
The blaze started at 9:15 p.m. from the two-story residence of Lucia Alipio, then spread to adjacent houses along Solis Street, according to Senior Fire Officer 1 Sany Lacuban.
No one was reported killed or injured, while damage to property was estimated at P1.5-million, Lacuban added. The cause of the fire remained under investigation.
“The fire trucks could not come near the area because the road and alleys were too narrow,” said Lacuban, adding that firefighters were forced to climb up the roofs of surrounding houses and train their hoses from long distances.
Most of the displaced families were given temporary shelter near the barangay (village) hall.–Maricar B. Brizuela