Authorities reported on Thursday that two people died — including a teenager and a person with a disability — after a fire swept through a residential area in Barangay 81 on Wednesday afternoon.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Caloocan City reported that the fire broke out along 122 Natividad Street. Fire Officer 3 Zarneil Torrazo said at least 38 firetrucks, including 30 from volunteer groups, responded to the scene.

The fire was raised to the first alarm at 4:50 p.m. and quickly escalated to the second alarm by 4:53 p.m.

An estimated 70 houses were destroyed, affecting at least 160 families or 650 individuals.

The deceased were identified as a 16-year-old girl and a certain Roberto, who was a person with a disability.

Torrazo said in a phone interview that firefighters had to dig through debris to retrieve Liane’s body around 6:42 a.m. Thursday, approximately nine hours after the fire was declared out.

“Based on the initial assessment, both victims were living in the same house. However, when the fire broke out, the structure collapsed — the senior citizen was on the second floor, while the female victim was on the ground floor,” Torrazo said.

He added that the collapse of the second floor structures delayed the recovery of the girl’s body.

Five other people were reported injured, including fire volunteers who suffered electrocution and residents who jumped from their roofs to escape the blaze.

The fire caused heavy traffic on the northbound side of MacArthur Highway as responding firetrucks occupied the outer lane.

While the official cause of the fire is still under investigation, the BFP-Caloocan City is considering faulty electrical wiring as a possible factor.