MANILA, Philippines - A fire of still undetermined origin struck the Mini Park area in Taguig City before dawn Wednesday, leaving at least 200 families homeless.
According to the Taguig City Fire Department, the fire at the Mini Park in Barangay Fort Bonifacio broke out around 12:50 a.m.
The fire reached the fifth alarm before it was put under control at 1:40 a.m. and was declared out by responding firefighters at 3:02 am.
Arson investigators traced the source of the blaze to the house owned by a certain Gloria Jaca.
Taguig City Fire chief, Chief Inspector Juanito Maslang, said 100 houses, mostly shanties and made of light materials, were destroyed in the fire.
The Taguig City Fire Department is still verifying an earlier report that two residents were slightly injured in the fire.
“The houses belong mostly to informal settlers. We are still verifying reports that there were injuries in the fire,†said Maslang.
The affected residents were brought to the nearby covered court for their temporary shelter, according to the Taguig City Department of Social Welfare.