3 hurt, P15M lost in Manila condo fire

MANILA, Philippines — Three people, including a fire inspector, were rushed to hospitals for smoke inhalation and breathing difficulties after a fire broke out on the eighth floor of the 20-story Ritz Royal Tower condominium on Camba Street in Binondo, Manila, on Monday night.

Based on initial estimates, the damage was placed at P15 million, officials said.

READ: Fire burns in a high-rise condominium in Binondo, Manila

According to the Bureau of Fire Protection, the blaze started around 9:33 p.m. Monday in a storage room occupied by an unidentified Chinese national.

Firefighters and volunteers battled the fire overnight before it was finally placed under control at 4:14 a.m. Tuesday

But it took until 9:26 a.m. for them to put out the blaze, which did not spread beyond the storage room.

The cause remains under investigation. —RUSSEL LORETO