AT LEAST 200 families were rendered homeless after a fire of still unknown origin razed a densely populated area in San Andres, Manila Saturday morning.
Six persons were injured and more than P5 million worth of property was destroyed by the four-hour fire which started around 7 a.m. at the corner of Pedro Gil and Onyx Streets.
Arson investigators have not yet determined the cause of blaze but residents claimed they heard an explosion from a nearby area of informal settlers. The fire alert reached Task Force Alpha and gutted the houses, mostly built with light materials.
The fire partially damaged the nearby Holy Family Parochial School.
The fire was declared under control around 11 a.m.
Last week, Mayor Joseph Estrada directed the Manila Fire Department to coordinate with barangay officials in undertaking prevention and safety measures during this fire season.
Records showed that 470 fire incidents were recorded in Manila from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 in 2015. Of the number, 51 happened in March.
Presidential Proclamation No. 115-A signed in 1966 declared March as Fire Prevention Month, aiming to “propagate safety consciousness among people” as preventive approach against occurrence of accidents and toward reduction of hazards.
Records from the Manila Fire District under the supervision of Senior Supt. Jaime Ramirez showed that 51 fire incidents, or roughly two cases per day, occurred in the capital city in March 2015 alone. This figure was significantly higher as compared to the monthly average of 30 fire cases in that year.
Those 51 fire cases brought about an estimated P68 million in damage. There were nine people who sustained injuries also during March last year, through there were no recorded deaths.
Based on official data, from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2015, there were 470 incidents of fire in Manila, which is one of the most densely-populated cities in the country and in the world with 48,000 people living per square kilometer. Manila has 896 barangays and an estimated population of more than 1.7 million.