25 families displaced by fire in Manila

Around 25 families were displaced from their homes after a fire razed a commercial building in Manila, mere meters away from the centuries-old Binondo Church.

No one was injured in the two-hour blaze that tore through the five-story Wellington building along Taytana Street, Barangay 288.

The fire was said to have started in the apartment of Elizabeth Chu on the fourth floor, said Bureau of Fire Protection-Manila chief, Chief Insp. Crossib Cante.

No one was inside the apartment when the fire broke out but its origin had yet to be determined, he added.

Around P5 million worth of property was damaged in the residential building which was mostly made of wood partitions and other light materials.

The blaze, which reached fifth alarm at 12:45 p.m., did not reach the historic Binondo Church.

Cante said this was because the fire was mostly contained in half of the twin-story residential structure.—KRIXIA SUBINGSUBING, SAMANTHA ALMERO AND JOANNA DELOS SANTOS