Hundreds of families were left homeless after a fire swept through a residential area in Tondo, Manila, on Wednesday, according to an estimate by Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso.

Reports disclosed that the fire started around 9:50 a.m. in the Aroma Compound in Barangay 105 and was declared under control more than three hours later at 12:53 p.m. The affected houses were mostly shanties made of light materials, officials said.

Domagoso personally oversaw the fire and rescue operations and directed the chief of the Manila Social Welfare Department, Jay dela Fuente, to care for the displaced families.

The mayor also instructed Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau chief Dennis Viaje to create a zipper lane to allow fire trucks clear passage to the scene.

A heavy downpour helped firefighters extinguish the blaze.

The affected residents are temporarily sheltered at the Barangay 105 covered basketball court, where they are being provided with hot meals and bedding. Social workers are processing the victims to facilitate the distribution of additional aid.