Fire hits Tondo shanty town

Tondo’s "Happy Land" turned into a calamity zone in a matter of hours after fire razed the shanty town near Manila Bay the other night, leaving some 1,500 families homeless for the new year.

The three-hour fire, which reached Task Force Bravo, razed an estimated 990 houses at the Old Happy Land compound along R-10 in Tondo. No deaths or injuries were reported by authorities.

The fire started at around 9:15 p.m. from a house occupied by a family making suman, a delicacy made from glutinous rice.

Residents said they heard an explosion, believed to have been caused by a leaking LPG tank, followed by huge flames which engulfed adjoining shanties.

Responding firetrucks from Manila and neighboring cities had to return to base for water in the absence of fire hydrants in the area. The narrow streets and small alleys in the area also hampered the firefighting capabilities of the responding firemen as flames quickly spread.

The fire was placed under control at around 12:30 a.m. yesterday. Damage to property is still being determined.

According to the Bureau of Fire Protection, last Friday’s fire was the 40th to hit Happy Land since squatters were relocated there almost two decades ago.

Manila City Mayor Lito Atienza declared the Old Happy Land a "calamity area" so government’s resources can start pouring in to help affected families.

He assured residents of help in rebuilding their homes.

Atienza said Manila City Hall’s Social Welfare Division visited the site to provide displaced families with food and medicine while the City Engineering Office put up temporary shelters. Affected families were temporarily relocated to the basketball courts and other open areas.

As officials were attending to the needs of displaced families in Tondo, a 15-minute fire struck a two-story dormitory in Sta. Ana, Manila yesterday.

The fire, which reached the second alarm, started at around 2 p.m. at a laborers’ dormitory owned by one Emilio Chua at 2549 Callejon 4, Del Pan street, Sta. Ana, Manila.

A firefighter, identified as Fire Officer 3 Wilfredo Silvero, was slightly hurt when he was hit by a fire hose. The fire was put out at 2:15 p.m.

The cause of the fire is still being investigated.