PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — The local government here reported that hundreds of homes in two densely populated coastal barangays in this city were engulfed in a massive structural fire that broke out around 2 a.m. Wednesday.

According to reports from the Puerto Princesa City Fire Station, 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.

It added that at least 920 families — representing 450 households in the two barangays — were forced to relocate due to the incident, as 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.

Some residents were able to carry only few belongings they could salvage as 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 at Reynoso Street. My house was gutted by the fire,” Arcina said.