Fire destroys thousands of homes in Manila's largest slum

(Dan Tri) - A major fire that raged for nearly eight hours burned down a coastal town in the Philippine capital on November 24, leaving at least 2,000 families homeless.

A terrible fire broke out in a slum in Tondo, Manila on November 24 (Photo: AFP).

Drone footage from the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office showed the raging fire completely engulfing crowded makeshift homes in Isla Puting Bato, a shantytown in Tondo, Manila.

The Manila Fire Department said the fire broke out at 8 a.m. on November 24 and lasted until about 4 p.m. It also said that about 1,000 such temporary houses were burned and about 8,000 people were displaced in the fire. There have been no specific reports of casualties yet.

Photos show people escaping the fire on makeshift rafts while others scrambled to salvage their belongings.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire, but fires in Manila's slums are often caused by faulty electrical wiring or gas cylinders.

Isla Puting Bato is located in Tondo district, Manila's largest slum with about 654,220 people living in squalid temporary homes on crowded streets, near a busy commercial port.

Elvira Valdemoro, a 58-year-old Manila resident and shop owner, was devastated by the extensive damage. "I feel bad because we have no livelihood and no home. Everything is gone. We don't know how we will be able to eat. We are in a very bad situation and it's Christmas time," she said.

Manila Mayor Maria Lacuna-Pangan visited Isla Puting Bato on November 25 and spoke to residents. "Please be patient. We will continue to come to help. No one wants this to happen," Lacuna-Pangan told residents.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/hoa-hoan-thieu-rui-hang-ngan-ngoi-nha-tai-khu-o-chuot-lon-nhat-manila-20241126151928558.htm