‘Happy Land’ razed by 10-hour blaze

A massive fire in the Tondo district of Manila left more than 1,100 families homeless after burning for over nine hours from Saturday night into Sunday morning.

Authorities reported that the fire started at 8:28 p.m. Saturday in Barangay 105, also known as Happy Land Tondo.

The blaze quickly escalated, reaching Task Force Bravo and prompting a response from at least 28 fire trucks.

Firefighters struggled to contain the flames, which spread rapidly through shanties made of light materials.

According to Fire Senior Inspector Ronald Lim of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Manila, the lack of water supply and narrow alleys made it difficult for crews to access the area.

The fire was declared under control at 2:46 a.m. Sunday and was officially extinguished at 6:01 a.m.

The Manila Department of Social Welfare confirmed that 1,146 families were affected. Displaced residents were taken to temporary evacuation centers, including the Barangay 105 Covered Court, Vicente Lim Elementary School, Barangay 101 Covered Court and Antonio Villegas High School.

Meantime, the Manila Health Department deployed medical teams to the sites to provide aid to victims.

The Manila Police District enforced road closures and traffic diversions along Mel Lopez Boulevard to assist with the emergency response.

Three people were injured in the fire, but no fatalities or missing persons were reported. Local authorities are still assessing the exact number of houses destroyed.

Ashley Canatuan, a resident whose home was among those burned, said she was heartbroken.

Another resident, Cammy Capellan, managed to salvage what she could, including her dog.

“We need to save important things, especially documents, papers, animals,” she said. “They are also necessary because they have life.”