Thousands displaced as fires ravage metro

A series of fire incidents hit Metro Manila between Friday night and Saturday morning, displacing hundreds of families and stretching firefighting resources across multiple cities.

In Manila, a fire struck Mangga Street in Barangay 581, Sampaloc, at around 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, leaving at least 100 families homeless.

According to a report from the Manila Police District Station 4, the blaze quickly escalated from the first to the third alarm before it was declared out at 10:46 a.m.

Barangay Kagawad Gerry Andrade said most of the homes were made of light materials, causing the flames to spread rapidly.

No injuries or fatalities were reported. Arson investigators are still determining the cause and estimated damage of the fire.

It marked the third fire incident in Sampaloc in just one week. On Monday, a blaze at Amelia Street corner Dela Fuente displaced around 300 families, while a separate fire on Tuesday in Barangay Loreto affected 120 individuals — including a TRIBUNE reporter, who was unharmed.

Affected residents from the Sampaloc fires have been temporarily housed at barangay basketball courts, where Manila Social Welfare workers, led by Director Jay de la Fuente, are providing hot meals, bedding and tents.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno has ordered the distribution of P15,000 in financial assistance per family.

Meanwhile, in Mandaluyong City, a fire erupted Saturday morning in a residential area near the back of Nueve de Febrero Elementary School in Barangay Addition Hills.

The blaze reached the third alarm, making access difficult for firefighters due to the densely packed homes. No casualties were reported as of press time, and the Bureau of Fire Protection was investigating the cause of the incident.

In Pasig City, a warehouse located along Sandoval Avenue in Barangay Pinagbuhatan went up in flames Friday night. The fire started past 7 p.m. and reached the third alarm, with black smoke blanketing the area into the early morning hours.

The Pasig Public Information Office issued a traffic advisory at 4 a.m. Saturday, announcing that Sandoval Avenue — from N. Cruz Street to Urbano Velasco Avenue — was impassable due to ongoing firefighting operations.

The fire was declared under control at 6:38 a.m., nearly 11 hours after it began. No injuries were reported. Authorities are still probing the cause of the warehouse fire.