Fire hits residential area in Mandaluyong City

MANILA, Philippines (6th UPDATE) – A blaze struck a residential area in Mandaluyong City early Wednesday afternoon, November 25, affecting an estimated 800 to 1,000 families, city officials said.

“This is the biggest fire in the history of Mandaluyong,” Mandaluyong Mayor Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr said in an interview with dzBB at Barangay Addition Hills, the site of the fire.

The fire, which began in Block 32 of Barangay Addition Hills at around 2 pm Tuesday, spread to 5 other blocks a couple of hours later. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said that the fire was declared under control at 6:13 pm. 

It was declared fire out past 10 pm.

Upon the request of Abalos, a Philippine Air Force helicopter with water bags arrived in the area at 4:30 pm to help put out on the fire.

Abalos said he asked the help of the Air Force, as firetrucks had difficulty getting into the area. Earlier, dzBB reported that firetrucks refilled with water could not get into the streets which, aside from being narrow, were also blocked by displaced families, their belongings, and  kibitzers.

The fire reached the 5th alarm at 2:34 pm, and was at Task Force Alpha 10 minutes later. It reached Task Force Bravo at 3:19 pm, Task Force Delta at 4:20 pm, and then general alarm just 10 minutes later.

Abalos said the city government prepared 5 evacuation sites for the victims, which he estimated between 800 to 1,000 families.  

This is the second fire to hit the area this month. In early November, a blaze razed 72 homes in the barangay, which is lined with homes mostly made of light materials. – Rappler.com