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Shantytown fire leaves thousands homeless in Manila

February 8, 2017

More than 1,000 homes in a dense shantytown in the Philippine capital have been destroyed in an overnight fire. Thousands of people were huddled on the streets with their belongings.

https://p.dw.com/p/2X8or
Philippinen Großbrand in Manila
Image: Reuters/R. Ranoco

An overnight fire blazed through a Manila shantytown before being put out on Wednesday morning, leaving roughly 15,000 poor residents homeless.

The flames spread quickly through a section of the Parola Compound, a collection of tiny homes piled on top of each other near the port in the Philippine capital.

Philippinen Großbrand in Manila
The Parola Compound is in Tondo, Manila's largest district in terms of size and populationImage: Reuters/R. Ranoco

Seven people were injured but nobody was killed in the fire, which destroyed more than 1,000 homes.

Authorities said three evacuation centers had been established and food and water were being provided to nearly 3,000 families impacted by the fire.

But many residents spent the night sleeping on a road near the scorched ruins with the few belongings they were able to take with them.

It was unclear what caused the fire.

Philippinen Großbrand in Manila
Hundreds of fire victims gathered with their possessions on a road outside the shanty.Image: Reuters/R. Ranoco

cw/msh (AP, dpa)