ALBAWABA - Earlier today, raging orange flames and thick black smoke billowed into the sky as fire raged through hundreds of homes in a densely populated slum neighborhood of Manila, the Philippine capital.
The Manila Fire District reported that around 1,000 residences were destroyed in the blaze, which is believed to have originated on the second story of one of the dwellings.
There were no early reports of casualties. The city's disaster office published drone images online showing residences in Manila's Isla Puting Bato community being burnt to the ground.
The fire in Isla Putting Bato began before 8 a.m. and reached the first alarm in a matter of minutes, according to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). Just before noon, it reached Task Force Bravo, a level that necessitates a massive firefighting response.
As firefighters fought the fire in difficult conditions, at least 20 fire trucks and an ambulance were sent to the scene. Authorities are determining the complete amount of the damage and looking into what started the fire.
Emergency personnel are still keeping an eye on the situation, and work is being done to help the evacuated residents.
