In the Philippine capital Manila, a fire has made thousands of people homeless. The fire had broken out in a poor district of the city a...
In the Philippine capital Manila, a fire has made thousands of people homeless. The fire had broken out in a poor district of the city and could only be put under control after ten hours.
A large fire in a poor district of the Philippine capital Manila has destroyed thousands of homes and made up to 15,000 people homeless. According to authorities, four people were injured in the fire that broke out near the port in the late Tuesday evening.
A fire expert said the makeshift houses in the slum were largely made of wood and light materials. That is why the fire spread so quickly. "We are lucky that no one was killed," he added.
Hundreds of firemen brought the fire under control only after ten hours. Thousands of people gathered near the fire and waited for support with food and other supplies. The city provided nearby gymnasiums and schools for the homeless.
The district near the port is one of the poorest parts of Manila. According to official data, more than 600,000 people live there, probably much more. Nearly a quarter of the 13 million inhabitants of Manilas live in Armenviertel. According to the fire brigade, fires often occur in the densely populated slums of the capital. Many of the inhabitants there used no electricity candles.
