More than 200 families, or about 600 individuals, were left homeless after a fire struck a residential area in Mandaluyong City on Friday night.

A row of houses along Victorio Street in Barangay Pleasant Hills was razed by the fire, which broke out at around 6:38 p.m., the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said Saturday.

The blaze escalated to a fifth alarm, prompting the deployment of nearly 60 fire trucks. Fire officials said the flames spread rapidly as most of the houses were made of light materials.

The fire was declared out at around 10 p.m. The BFP estimated the cost of structural damage at about P1 million.

At least two residents, aged 51 and 23, sustained minor injuries during the incident.

Among those affected was the De Guzman family, which has lived in the barangay for 27 years.

“We were inside the house; the fire came from the middle, and our house was razed in mere seconds. We’re at the very front, so we thought the fire wouldn’t reach us here. Many of our belongings are burning, and we couldn’t take them out,” Boyet de Guzman said.