Read: Shantytown fire stalls traffic along EDSA

MANILA, Philippines - At least 2,700 families were left homeless by a two-hour fire that swept through a squatters’ compound in Barangay Guadalupe Viejo in Makati City yesterday afternoon.

The fire crippled traffic along EDSA’s southbound lane as firetrucks occupied five lanes of the six-lane highway. As a result, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority traffic enforcers diverted Alabang-bound buses from Quezon City to J.P. Rizal street and then to Gil Puyat Avenue.

Makati Fire Department arson investigator SFO2 Gerson Moncada said the fire started at around noon at the second floor of a house owned by a certain “Michelle” at the Laperal Compound.

Initial reports said an overheated rice cooker that was left unattended allegedly caused the blaze, which quickly spread throughout the shanties in the one-hectare compound. Firefighters said the fire spread quickly as the houses were built of light materials.

Shortly after it started, the fire reached Task Force Bravo and at about 12:35 p.m. was declared under general alarm, which meant that all available firetrucks in Metro Manila were deployed to the scene.

According Bureau of Fire Protection National Capital Region head, Chief Superintendent Santiago Laguna, 80 firetrucks from across Metro Manila responded to the fire.

Laguna said at least 900 of the 1,000 shanties in the compound were destroyed by the fire. The blaze was declared under control at 2:15 p.m.

Although there were no deaths reported in the incident, at least five persons were reported as having sustained minor injuries. Among these were Marcelo Ortega, a volunteer firefighter from Mandaluyong City; Mary Ann Imperial, 24, who is eight months pregnant; and two children who were rushed to the Ospital ng Makati Malugay branch in Barangay Bel-Air.

Meanwhile, Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay said the city government has already extended assistance to the fire victims. Most of the residents lost their valuables in the blaze as they ran out of their burning shanties.

“I lost the money sent by my sister-in-law from London,” said a teary-eyed Donna Mendi, 33.

Another resident, Angie Dajao, 26, said the fire spread so fast that they were also not able to save anything from their shanty. “It spread so fast. We heard our neighbors screaming. We just ran out,” she said.

Binay said the affected residents will be temporarily housed at relocation sites along Amapola street and at the Nuestra Senora de Gracia church in Guadalupe Viejo.

The Makati City government also set up a soup kitchen at the Laperal Compound and tents for the affected residents.

Binay said it was the fourth time that fire had struck the Laperal Compound. Officials said the Laperal Compound blaze is the 67th fire in Metro Manila this month.

Makati City spokesman Joey Salgado said the city government cannot order the residents of the Laperal Compound to vacate the area despite the constant threat of fire.

“The compound is private property and the city government cannot order them to leave. The owner of the compound should be the one to order them to leave,” he said.