A woman gave birth to a baby girl during a massive fire that ravaged a residential area in Tondo, Manila, according to a report on 24 Oras Weekend.
Barangay officials confirmed that Philippine Red Cross responders assisted in delivering the baby amidst the chaos. Both mother and child are now receiving care at the Tondo Medical Center.
The fire, which erupted Saturday afternoon in Road 10, Barangay 105, displaced nearly 2,000 families, affecting over 8,000 residents. Firefighters battled the blaze through the night before it was declared out after midnight.
By Sunday morning, some residents returned to their still-smoking homes, attempting to salvage whatever belongings they could.
“We’ll sell what we can to buy food and rice,” said fire victim Loreto Sail.
Others returned because evacuation centers were overcrowded.
“We don’t want to stay at the barangay center because it’s too full,” added Alicia Tublon, another resident affected by the fire.
Barangay Chairperson Elenita Reyes said their team is coordinating with the Manila City government for additional support, as the main evacuation site could not accommodate all displaced families. “We have over 1,900 families on the master list, and counting.”
In response, the Manila LGU suspended classes at Gen. Vicente Lim Elementary School, which is being used as an evacuation center.
The Bureau of Fire Protection is currently investigating the cause of the fire.