PUERTO PRINCESA CITY — Hundreds of homes in two densely populated coastal barangays in this city were engulfed in a massive structural fire that broke out around 2 o'clock in the morning on Wednesday.

The homes that were completely destroyed were constructed from light materials in the barangays of Bagong Silang and Pagkakaisa, situated near the cruise port project currently being developed by the government.

According to the Puerto Princesa City Fire Station's assessment, approximately 920 families, representing 450 households in the two barangays, were forced to relocate due to the incident.

Residents reported that the strong winds exacerbated the rapid spread of the fire, which, according to their accounts, began in Bagong Silang and spread towards Pagkakaisa.

Carrying only a few belongings they could salvage, they fled their engulfed houses and sought shelter on Roxas Street and Reynoso Street.

Additionally, more than a hundred individuals, including children and the elderly, found refuge in the sea, utilizing the low tide to their advantage.

Margie Arcina, a resident of Bagong Silang, couldn't retrieve any belongings during the fire as her top priority was ensuring the safety of her children.

"I didn't save anything because I first rescued my children, then my youngest child went missing. It turned out my mother-in-law took him up there (Reynoso Street). My house was gutted by the fire," she said.

She believes that the fire likely started in a neighboring house, from which a couple had departed at approximately 2 o'clock in the morning. But she couldn't explain how the fire truly started in her neighbor's house.

Cristobal Bolan and his family made their way along the city bay shoreline to flee from the fire. His father, whom he mentioned was already paralyzed, was also part of the evacuation, along with other relatives.

"We had no choice, but to jump to the sea because we had no way out," he narrated.

"There were many of us, those from the area near the water—my father's there on the shore," Bolan said.

Several children were also spotted in the water with their heads above the surface, shouting for help, according to one resident's account.

"There were many people there in the sea—mostly children—needing to be rescued," the resident said.

Personnel from the nearby Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Palawan station were among the responders to the incident. They formed a line, passing buckets and basins filled with water, which they then used to douse the houses situated near the road.

Fire water tankers were also dispatched by the Puerto Princesa City Water District and the CDRRMO to provide essential support.

City Information Officer Richard Ligad said that a meeting is ongoing with the CDRRMO, the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), the City Administrator's Office, the Schools Division Office of the Department of Education, and other relevant line offices and agencies to discuss the welfare of the displaced residents.

"We are already having a meeting for the benefit of the fire victims, to help determine where we will temporarily bring them," he said.

The city fire station is still conducting an investigation on the possible cause of the fire.