3,000 families lose homes in 10-hour Tondo fire

Parola Compound residents try in vain to contain the roaring flames. —Richard A. Reyes

A fire that started Tuesday night raged for 10 hours across a slum community in Tondo, Manila, and left around 3,000 families homeless.

Firemen had to rely on only two hydrants available near the affected area, their task made more difficult by the lack of access roads and uncontrollable residents who also turned violent as they tried to save their belongings.

The fire appeared to have been caused by a candle left unattended inside a house of a Parola Compound resident known only as Andang, said Chief Insp. Marvin Carbonel, head of Manila fire’s operation unit.

The local fire department was alerted to the fire around 9:30 p.m. The flames spread quickly and reached Task Force Delta, an alert level requiring the response of all available firetrucks in Metro Manila.

Carbonel said the inferno covered an area of approximately one hectare from Gate 2 to 9 of the compound.

He said there were only two water hydrants in the area. There were only two access roads, forcing firefighters to climb over roofs to get near the flames, the official added.

As fire trucks ran out of water in their tanks, their drivers could not easily leave as trailer trucks and panicking residents who had brought out appliances and other belongings were already blocking the way.

Other residents also tried to grab the hose from fire fighters as they angrily demanded that their homes be saved first.

Fistfights also erupted among the residents, Carbonel said, after some of them accused their neighbors of theft as the fire spread.

At least seven people were reported injured.

The fire was declared out at 7:20 a.m. on Wednesday after destroying about a thousand homes and leaving an estimated P7 million in damage.