NOV 24,(V7N) - A devastating fire tore through a densely packed slum area in the Isla Puting Bato village of Manila on Sunday, engulfing around 1,000 homes and leaving thousands of residents homeless. Thick black smoke and orange flames could be seen rising from the area as the fire rapidly spread, consuming entire houses made from light materials, which contributed to the intensity of the blaze.

The fire is believed to have started on the second floor of one of the homes, though the exact cause is still under investigation. The Manila Fire District reported that approximately 2,000 families, or over 8,000 people, lived in the affected area. Despite the scale of the fire, there were no immediate reports of casualties.

Drone footage shared by the city’s disaster agency showed the destruction, with nearly every house in the area reduced to ashes. Among the residents affected was Leonila Abiertas, a 65-year-old woman, who lost nearly all her belongings but managed to salvage the urn containing her late husband's ashes. She expressed the emotional toll of the disaster, saying, "I really don't know how I can start my life again after this fire."

To combat the blaze, 36 fire trucks and four fire boats were dispatched, while the Philippine Air Force sent in two helicopters to help extinguish the flames. Geanelli Nunez, a firefighter at the scene, explained that the area is particularly prone to fires due to the construction of houses with highly flammable materials, making firefighting efforts more challenging.

END/WD/RH/