Firefighters battle a predawn blaze that gutted houses in a compound in Barangay 132, Bagong Barrio, Caloocan City. (Photo courtesy of Sacred Heart Fire Volunteer Brigade)
A predawn fire gutted several houses in a residential compound in Barangay 132, Bagong Barrio, Caloocan City on Monday, May 25, leaving 15 families homeless.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said the blaze broke out at 2:51 a.m. along Mariano Ponce Street and rapidly spread through the densely packed community before being fully extinguished at 4:08 a.m.
Initial investigation indicated that the fire may have started in a cooking area near the doorway of one of the houses inside the compound, although authorities have yet to determine the exact cause of the blaze.
Firefighters raised the first alarm at 2:54 a.m. and declared the fire under control at 3:29 a.m., with 30 fire trucks, including units from volunteer fire brigades, and three ambulances deployed as precautionary support.
The fire destroyed around 15 houses and affected about 30 individuals who were left temporarily homeless. The BFP estimated the property damage at P200,000.
Authorities said a thorough investigation is ongoing to determine the exact cause and other circumstances of the incident.