MANILA, Philippines — Following a massive blaze that destroyed about 1,000 shanties in Tondo, a nearly nine-hour fire left around 1,500 people homeless and two injured in Sta. Cruz, Manila yesterday.
At least 250 houses were destroyed and 500 families were displaced, according to the Bureau of Fire Protection.
The BFP said the fire started in Barangay 310, Zone 31 at 9:41 p.m. on Wednesday. It was extinguished at 6:24 a.m. yesterday.
Twenty-two BFP firetrucks, 53 volunteer firetrucks, eight ambulances and a rescue force team were deployed.
Marina Lagrimas, 69, suffered second-degree burns. Janine Trinio was also reportedly injured.
Damage to property was placed at P3.75 million.
The fire prompted the evacuation of about 600 inmates at the male dormitory of the Manila City Jail.
The incident followed a series of fires in Manila in the past week: in Isla Puting Bato and Balutwagi8, both in Tondo, and the flower shops of Dangwa in Sampaloc.