Fire displaces 500 families in Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - A big fire razed more than 100 houses and displaced about 500 families Monday morning in a slum village east of Zamboanga City, authorities said.

Talon-Talon Barangay Chair Teadyver Arquiza said no one was killed in the fire that hit Sitio Laminusa about 7:45 a.m. which triggered evacuation of the affected residents.

Hadji Faidar Arpa, 63, who owned a newly constructed two-storey house nearby said the fire was sudden as he just saw the raging inferno razing every house made of light materials it touched.

Fire Inspector Jasmine Tanog, ground commander, said the blaze of still unknown origin started from the house of a certain Glesson Edrana.

Tanog said they are still investigating the cause of the fire and the estimate of the damage.

She said firefighters contained the fire from spreading further to the other houses.

Arquiza said the affected families were directed to temporarily stay at the village hall and nearby schools while relief assistance were provided by the city government’s social welfare office.