State of calamity declared in Mandaluyong fire-hit area

A state of calamity has been declared in a fire-prone area in Mandaluyong City, days after a blaze that raged for nearly eight hours killed two persons and destroyed nearly 500 houses.

Mayor Carmencita Abalos approved on Wednesday Resolution No. 2334 declaring a state of calamity in Blocks 35 and 36 of Barangay Addition Hills.

At the same time, the city council also approved Resolution No. 2335 providing P8.216 million in financial assistance to the 1,465 families or 6,765 individuals affected by the fire.

Jimmy Isidro, chief of the city’s public information office, said that aid would also be extended to affected families in Barangay San Jose.

Displaced residents could either rebuild their houses or transfer to new ones, Isidro added. Families whose houses were lost in the fire would get at least P8,000 each; families sharing a house would receive P5,000 each; while those who were renting would receive P3,000, he said.

The fire which started on Sunday night reached general alarm, the highest fire alarm level, according to the Bureau of Fire and Protection. More than 80 fire trucks worked together to help put out the blaze which damaged around P10 million worth of property.