MANILA, Philippines—About 100 families lost their homes in a fire that hit a shanty community in Malabon early Monday, a city fire officer said.
Fire Inspector Noe Bragaid of the Malabon City-Bureau of Fire Protection office, said fire swept through 50 makeshift houses in Aracete village in Barangay (village) Tinejeros in Malabon City at 9:16 a.m.
The fire reached fifth alarm before it was put out at 12:42 p.m.
He said an explosion of a liquefied petroleum gas at the house of a certain Wilfredo Silvan may have caused the fire.
Fire spread rapidly as houses in the area were made of light materials, Bragaid said.
No other details were available.