Around 1,800 people were left homeless after a fire razed a housing site in Barangay 105, Tondo, Manila.
According to a “24 Oras” report by James Agustin on Friday, the blaze started in Building 29 past 10 p.m. Thursday and spread to at least 200 homes.
It affected 600 families or around 1,800 individuals, most of whom were unable to save their belongings from the incident.
“Mahirap nga pero tinitiis ko. Salamat Lord na naligtas ako. Maliligtas sana yung aso namin kung hindi ako iniwanan ng amo niyang lalaki,” said resident Mely Imoylan.
(It’s hard but I’m bearing it. Thank Lord I’m safe. I would have been able to save our dog if I wasn’t left by its male owner)
“Paglingon namin lakas talaga ng apoy. Ito sigaw ng sigaw sa akin sabi niya, Annie, tumalon kana [sa bintana]. Mabuti lang may sumalo na limang lalaki kaya pasalamat talaga ako sa taong sumalo sa akin kasi kung wala, hindi ko alam kung mangyayari sa akin kasi bagong opera ako,” added another resident Annie, who jumped from her window to survive.
(When we turned, the fire was massive. This one kept screaming at me saying, Annie, just jump [from the window]. It’s a good thing five men caught me, so I’m really thankful to them because if they didn’t, I don’t know what would have happened to me because I just got an operation)
During the incident, the windshield of a firetruck also broke after it was hit by a resident.
The Bureau of Fire Protection is still investigating the possible cause of the fire.
“Yung lugar natin masikip. Ang makakapasok lang is yung pumper natin kaso ang problema yung mga tao rin naglalabasan [so] hindi rin makapasok lahat. Mahirap, yung water mahina kaya medyo natagalan,” said BFP Manila Intelligence and Investigation Section Fire Senior Inspector Mark Anthony Marquez.
(The area was narrow. We were only able to bring our pumper inside, but the problem was that people were trying to get out [so] not all of us could enter. It was hard, the water was weak so it took a while)
Meanwhile, two fire volunteers were mildly injured as a result of the incident.
The fire was declared under control before 1 a.m. on Friday.— Jiselle Anne Casucian/LDF, GMA Integrated News
