Parañaque fire displaces 1,800; four hurt

A massive fire swept through a residential area in Lower Barangay San Antonio late Wednesday, displacing an estimated 1,800 residents and prompting a regional Task Force Alpha response.

Authorities said multiple fires broke out across Metro Manila that night, but noted the Parañaque blaze resulted in no fatalities. Four people were injured, including an elderly man who suffered a head injury while evacuating and a 40-year-old man treated for burns at the scene.

The fire started shortly after 11 p.m. on the ground floor of a three-story house. Driven by strong winds and highly combustible light building materials, it quickly spread through the densely populated neighborhood.

Bureau of Fire Protection Parañaque Fire Marshal Superintendent Liher Barrios said severe logistical challenges forced authorities to raise the response to Task Force Alpha at 2:36 a.m. Thursday.

"We reached Task Force Alpha because the area is quite cramped and at the same time our water supply was an issue," Barrios said.

A total of 94 fire trucks and volunteer brigades responded, but narrow and obstructed streets hindered access to the area.

"There are parked vehicles on our roads," Barrios added. "The interior is too far. So we had to use a total of 20 fire hoses just to reach the burning houses."

The fire was declared under control at 5:50 a.m.. Displaced families are temporarily sheltering at San Antonio Elementary School. Authorities estimate property damage at P900,000, while arson investigators continue to determine the cause of the blaze.