Seven people, including five firemen, were hurt in a fire that destroyed houses and a warehouse on Benita Street in Barangay 186, Tondo, Manila on Tuesday, March 19.
BFP said that its three personnel sustained lacerations.
Injured were Fire Senior Inspector (SINSP) Charles Bacoco who suffered a laceration on a right middle finger, and two Senior Fire Officer I (SFO1) who sustained sustained lacerations on the palm and left thumb, respectively.
A 30-year-old fire volunteer was reportedly beaten by the residents for unknown reason while responding to the fire. The other fire volunteer experienced suffocation.
Meanwhile, a 51-year-old man sustained a laceration on his left toe and a 21-year-old woman suffered minor burns on both feet.
They were all immediately assisted and given medical treatment.
BFP said the fire started at around 1:50 a.m., reached the first alarm at 1:53 a.m. and the second alarm at 1:59 a.m.
Firefighters were able to put the fire under control after almost 10 hours at around 11:22 a.m.
It was extinguished at around 4:33 p.m.
Arson investigators said that two houses were fully gutted while one house was minimally damaged, displacing over 15 families.
It added that a warehouse of assorted garments was heavily gutted.
As of this writing, firefighters have yet to determine the estimated amount of damage to property and the cause of the blaze.