MANILA, Philippines – Raging orange flames and thick black smoke billowed into the sky on Sunday as a devastating fire ripped through hundreds of closely built houses in a slum area of the Philippine capital.
The Manila Fire District reported that approximately 1,000 homes were destroyed in the blaze, which is believed to have started on the second floor of one of the residences in Isla Puting Bato village. Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of casualties.
Drone footage shared online by the city’s disaster agency showed the extent of the devastation, with row after row of houses reduced to ashes and rubble. The structures had been home to around 2,000 families, according to fire department officials.
“I only got the urn with the ashes of my husband,” said a distraught Leonila Abiertas, 65, who lost nearly all of her possessions in the inferno. “I really don’t know how I can start my life again after this fire.”
Fire and disaster services deployed 36 trucks and four fire boats to battle the blaze, while the Philippine air force sent in two helicopters to assist in the firefighting efforts. However, the closely packed nature of the homes and the intensity of the flames made it extremely challenging to bring the situation under control.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but such incidents are tragically common in the overcrowded slums of Manila, where substandard housing and a lack of proper infrastructure often contribute to the rapid spread of these devastating blazes.
As the affected residents begin the daunting task of rebuilding their lives, local authorities and aid organizations will be crucial in providing the necessary support and resources to help these families recover from this tragedy.
