Las Piñas blaze displaces 100 families

About 100 families were left homeless in a fire that hit a residential area in Las Piñas City shortly before midnight on Wednesday.

Officials said the flames damaged more than 60 houses in Phase 2 of Christ the King Subdivision, Barangay Talon IV.

At least seven people were reported injured in the fire that started at 11:16 p.m., said Fire Officer 1 Rizaldo Aguitan of Bureau of Fire Protection-Las Piñas.

Aguitan said firefighters had difficulty battling the flames due to low water supply in the area. He noted that it had a scheduled Maynilad Water service interruption that night.

The fire lasted for more than five hours and was declared out at 4:45 a.m. on Thursday.

The fire reportedly started at the house of Rey and Amelia Tabuso. The cause remained under investigation, although officials suspected an electrical appliance overload.

The displaced families had taken shelter at a nearby basketball court. —DEXTER CABALZA AND JONNABETH ORTEGA