Firefighters responding to a fourth-alarm fire in Barangay 439, Sampaloc, Manila encountered delays early Thursday due to a fire hydrant with no water supply.

“Our only issue was the water supply — the hydrant near Firmeza Street had very little water coming out,” said Fire Senior Inspector Cesar Babante, commander of Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Manila Station 5.

Despite the setback, firetrucks reached the area without obstruction as there were no illegally parked vehicles blocking the road, Babante noted.

The fire broke out along M. Dela Fuente Street near Amelia Street and was raised to first alarm at 12:35 AM It escalated to fourth alarm just before 1:00 a.m. and was declared under control by 1:45 AM Firefighters fully extinguished the blaze by 5:44 AM.

At least 70 firetrucks responded to the scene, and no injuries or fatalities were reported, according to the BFP.

Among the residents affected was 67-year-old Iluminada Aliposa of Barangay 443. She recalled being awakened by her grandchildren and fleeing the house without being able to bring anything.

"When someone said there was a fire, I went outside and saw it was already big. I went back in to call my other child so we could get out. As soon as we got out, I just broke down in tears—we had nowhere to live anymore,” she said.
“All our belongings were gone,” Aliposa added.

The BFP said the fire razed approximately 70 houses and affected around 200 families. Initial estimates place property damage at P300,000. An investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.