At least 11 people died on Friday in a fire in a five-story residential and commercial building in the Chinatown precinct of the Philippine capital, a community official said.
The blaze in Manila’s Binondo district was doused about three hours after fire responders were alerted around 7.30 a.m. (2300 GMT), fire officials said, but there was no immediate word on the cause.
It was not immediately clear if more people had been trapped and were feared dead, however, he said
The Philippines has a patchy record in enforcing fire safety in buildings, homes, and offices.
About 14 firetrucks battled for more than two hours to control the blaze in an old five-story building in one of the world’s oldest Chinatowns, a densely populated riverside section of the capital.
Fire investigator Roderick Andres said the fire started in an eatery on the ground floor, and that several of its staff were among the dead. Most of the dead, he added, were found on the second and third floors, and no one else has been reported missing.
Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna offered condolences to the victims’ families and ordered inspections to ensure old buildings comply with safety regulations and standards.
