A fast-moving fire destroyed nine homes in a residential neighborhood in Makati City early Saturday morning, leaving four people injured and highlighting a growing housing crisis as local evacuation centers remain at capacity.

The blaze broke out around 1 a.m. along D. Gomez Street in Barangay Tejeros. Fire Inspector Rodulfo Aguilar of the Makati Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said the fire reached the second alarm and took more than two hours to contain. It was declared out at 3:20 a.m.

Firefighters and residents faced significant challenges due to the density of the area. While neighbors attempted to douse the flames with water buckets, responding units were forced to draw water from a nearby creek to supplement their supply.

“As you can see, the struggle that happened, the houses were really packed together,” Aguilar said and cited that the narrow alleys made it difficult for teams to enter, eventually requiring firefighters to climb onto rooftops to gain access to the interior of the cluster.

Elizabeth, a 64-year-old resident, said she was awakened by the shouts of neighbors. She and her husband managed to escape with their three pet dogs just as the fire reached their doorstep.

“Our house is old and burns easily,” she said. “Once we woke up, we just grabbed our pets and fled because the fire was very, very near.”

One dog was rescued by responders from a burning structure during the operations. Among the four people treated for injuries was a man who sustained first-degree burns to his arm.

The BFP estimated the total damage at P4.8 million. While the exact number of displaced families is still being finalized, authorities face a logistical hurdle in housing the victims.

The city’s designated evacuation center is currently full, housing families from previous fires that left more than 300 people homeless.

Investigators are still investigating the cause of the fire.