Fire in Manila shanty town leaves over a thousand families homeless

Record ID: 162591

  • Title: Fire in Manila shanty town leaves over a thousand families homeless
  • Date: 28th December 2016
  • Summary: MANILA, PHILIPPINES (DECEMBER 28, 2016) (REUTERS) BURNT SHANTY COMMUNITY VARIOUS OF MEN AND CHILDREN LOOKING FOR SALVAGEABLE ITEMS SMOKE EMANATING FROM BURNT ITEMS CHILDREN SALVAGING SCRAPS FROM BURNT HOUSE BOY HAMMERING ON CEMENT BOYS WORKING THROUGH DEBRIS CHILDREN GATHERING SCRAPS GIRL COLLECTING SCRAPS IN TIN VARIOUS OF MAN LOOKING AT METAL SCRAPS RESIDENT ROBERT TOLEDO CARRYING METAL SCRAPS TO WEIGHING SCALE TOLEDO PLACING METAL SCRAPS ONTO WEIGHING SCALE (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) RESIDENT, ROBERT TOLEDO, SAYING: "I'm helping my neighbours salvage materials while I'm waiting for someone to help me sell mine tomorrow. Our house was just over there and I'd like to help out if I can." DAMAGED SHANTIES ALONG ROAD RESIDENTS ON ROADSIDE WITH BELONGINGS MAN EATING WHILE SITTING ON MAT (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) RESIDENT, MARITES BRAGAS, SAYING: "I'm asking for help for me and my neighbours. I hope someone will be willing to help us with our day-to-day needs." MANILA, PHILIPPINES (DECEMBER 27, 2016) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SHOTS) BURNING HOUSES FLAMES VARIOUS OF FIREMEN HOSING FLAMES FIRE TRUCKS VARIOUS OF RESIDENTS WITH BELONGINGS ON ROADSIDE
  • Embargoed: 12th January 2017 11:10
  • Keywords: fire shanty community homeless scrap metals salvage Philippines Manila
  • Location: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
  • City: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
  • Country: Philippines
  • Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Fires
  • Reuters ID: LVA0015ESRIV9
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Over a thousand families were left homeless on Wednesday (December 28) after a massive fire swept through a shanty community in Manila overnight.
    Authorities said the fire broke out on Tuesday (December 27) night and quickly spread through the neighbourhood, leaving one elderly woman dead and three others injured.
    Some residents on Wednesday returned to where their burnt homes once stood, salvaging scrap metals and whatever was left of their belongings.
    Marites Bragas, one of the victims, appealed for aid, saying she would probably be spending the New Year on the roadside with her four children.
    "I'm asking help for me and my neighbours. I hope someone will be willing to help and address our needs," she said.
    The local government said the families would be relocated to an evacuation centre and given aid.
    Bureau of Fire Senior Superintendent Rico Kwan Tiu said there was at least 500 thousand pesos ($10,200) worth of damage from the fire, which was caused by a gas leak from a kitchen stove.
    Fires are common in the slum communities of Manila where homes are made of light materials, with most of the cases being due to faulty electrical wiring caused by illegal power connections, the bureau of fire protection said.
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