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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Black Hawk, 2 other Air Force choppers aid in dousing Tondo fire

Black Hawk, 2 other Air Force choppers aid in dousing Tondo fire

Published Aug 6, 2025 04:34 pm
A Philippine Air Force (PAF) helicopter performs a heli-bucket operation to extinguish a massive fire that occurred at Building 13, Aroma, Road 10, in Brgy. 105, Tondo, Manila on Aug. 6, 2025. (Courtesy of PAF)
A Philippine Air Force (PAF) helicopter performs a heli-bucket operation to extinguish a massive fire that occurred at Building 13, Aroma, Road 10, in Brgy. 105, Tondo, Manila on Aug. 6, 2025. (Courtesy of PAF)
Three Philippine Air Force (PAF) aircraft, including an S-70i Black Hawk utility helicopter, were dispatched to extinguish a huge fire that struck a residential area in Tondo, Manila on Wednesday, Aug. 6.
Aside from the Black Hawk, a Huey II and a PZL W-3A Sokol, both utility helicopters, were deployed by the PAF’s 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing and 505th Search and Rescue Group to perform heli-bucket operations at Building 13, Aroma, Road 10 in Brgy. 105.
The helicopters took turns in conducting water drops using “Bambi Buckets”, which are large collapsible containers suspended under the aircraft. The containers are used to scoop water from nearby sources which are then released over a fire-hit area.
PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said the Huey conducted 33 sorties of water drops while the Black Hawk and Sokol had three sorties each, bringing the total aerial firefighting missions to 39 sorties.
“These coordinated efforts were carried out in close collaboration with the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and other government agencies to contain and suppress the fast-spreading fire, which has displaced hundreds of families,” she said.
The fire started at 9:44 a.m. and quickly reached Task Force Charlie at 10:57 a.m.
The blaze lasted for nearly three hours before it was declared under control by 12:34 p.m.
According to reports, more than 700 families were affected by the fire. The cause of the blaze is yet to be determined by the investigators.
“The Philippine Air Force remains committed to its mandate of providing timely and effective support to civil authorities during disasters and emergencies,” Castillo said.

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