Over 200 families were rendered homeless after a huge fire struck a residential area in Legarda, Sampaloc, Manila, Sunday night.
The fire broke out at around 6:23 p.m. Sunday in Barangay 402 on Legarda St.corner Delgado St. in Sampaloc, Manila, and was raised to 5th alarm at 6:55 p.m., the Manila Fire District said.
At 9:39 p.m., the fire was raised to Task Force Alpha as it spread to adjacent establishments including the University of Manila-College of Law on Delos Santos St.
Legarda St. from the Chino Roces Bridge was temporarily closed to motorists for safety measures and give way to responding fire trucks.
At 12:47 p.m., firefighters declared “fire out.”
Around 80 houses and establishments were destroyed by the fire, including the barangay hall, according to Brgy. Chairwoman Cynthia Escauso.
Escauso said that the 228 affected families were immediately evacuated to Palmera Basketball Court. They are being provided with food by the Manila Social Welfare.
While some of the families struggle to collect what’s left of their belongings, “Aling Nora” is busy picking up children’s clothes from a clothing rummage put up inside the evacuation center.
“Lahat kasi ng damit namin halos nasunog kaya kumukuha ako dito para may damit apo ko,” Aling Nora said.
Meanwhile, a barangay watchman said the fire started inside a home rented by a certain JB Mondejar and was sparked by a suspected faulty electrical wiring.
“Si JB ‘yung nakakita nung apoy. Pag-uwi nila nakita nila may maliit na sunog na sa loob nung bahay. Sinubukan pa namin apulahin gamit fire extinguisher, kasama ko mga kagawad at tanod. Pero bigla nang may sumabog kaya lumaki yung apoy kasi may tanke ng gasol kasi doon sa likod, Barangay Kagawad Lorenzo Gunio said.
“Dumating ‘yung mga bumbero, malaki na yung apoy kasi gawa lang sa kahoy yung mga bahay at malakas yung hangin,” he added.
However, the cause of the fire and the estimated worth of damage in the incident have yet to be determined, the Bureau of Fire Protection said. (Hans Amancio)
