Fires hit Manila, Quezon City

MANILA, Philippines — Two fires broke out in Manila and Quezon City yesterday.

The first fire started at around 8:15 a.m. in Barangay Balingasa, Quezon City, destroying about 20 houses along Andres Bonifacio Avenue and leaving at least 60 families homeless.

City fire marshal Jaime Ramirez said in a text message that the fire originated at the ground floor of a two-story house owned by Mercy Villanueva.

Arson investigators have yet to determine what caused the fire, he added.

Firefighters doused the flames at around 9:45 a.m. Volunteer firefighter Jeremiah Villar, 31, suffered second-degree burns on his left hand.

The affected residents were relocated to an evacuation center. Probers placed the estimated cost of damage to property at P100,000.

In Manila, six houses were destroyed and around 18 families were left homeless by a fire along Lakandula street in Tondo.

The blaze started at around 1:30 p.m. and reached second alarm before it was put out at around 2:35 p.m.

Firefighters said they had a problem with the water supply because there were no fire hydrants in the area. Residents were forced to haul buckets of water to help put out the fire, they added.