PUERTO PRINCESA CITY — A fire broke out in this city early Sunday night, destroying four homes in a densely populated area.

Residents said that the fire ignited shortly before 6:30 PM on 12 January. The fire was contained before it spread to other properties in the interior of Barangay Masipag, situated between Valencia and Mabini streets, due to the prompt intervention of firefighters from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Puerto Princesa City Fire Station.

"The wind was really strong earlier. Fortunately, the firefighters arrived immediately. My husband was the one who cut the power lines to prevent the fire from spreading to other houses," said Josephine Borja, a resident of the area.

Masipag Barangay Captain Oliver Reynoso stated that if the families affected by the fire do not have relatives to stay with, they will be temporarily sheltered at their barangay hall.

He stated that the cause of the fire remains unknown and that they will wait for the investigation of the BFP.

"If they need temporary shelter, we will accommodate them in the barangay hall. I haven't been told about the cause of the fire. I just rushed here from the hospital because they said there's a fire in our barangay," Reynoso said.

Since the beginning of the year, the BFP fire station in Puerto Princesa City has reported four fires, including the one in Masipag, said Senior Fire Officer 1 Emman Paul Manuel, spokesperson of the local fire bureau.

He said fire out was declared around 7:29 PM.

"The investigators will return to the area tomorrow to conduct thorough investigation," he said.