Fire hits National Archives office

MANILA, Philippines — A fire that reached second alarm struck an office of the National Archives of the Philippines (NAP) in Paco, Manila before dawn yesterday.

No historical documents were lost in the fire, the NAP said in a statement.

The blaze broke out at around 1 a.m. and was contained two hours later, according to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

The fire started at the NAP’s chief administrative office on the sixth floor of the Philippine President Lines building along United Nations Avenue, the BFP said.

“The administrative offices of NAP was hit by fire. No one was injured,” the agency said. “The archival collections are safe as they are stored elsewhere.”

Damage to property was estimated at P800,000.

In Las Piñas, a woman died when a fire razed a two-story house in Barangay Pulang Lupa Dos yesterday.

The BFP identified the fatality as Raniel Peña.

Arson probers said the fire originated from a bedroom on the ground floor.

Authorities said they have yet to determine the cause of the fire.