At least 15,000 residents lost their homes near Manila, Philippines, after a fire raged through their settlement on Tuesday night. Firefighters were able to douse the flames only by Wednesday morning, by which time a thousand 1,000 homes were razed to the ground in Parola Compound, Tondo city, near Manila’s port, AP reported.

A fire burns through hundreds of houses near Manila port. (Pic: Noel Celis/AFP)
A man walks by as shanties in Parola Compound near Manila are engulfed in flames. (Pic: Noel Celis/AFP)
People look on as smoke rises from a fire in a shanty town near Manila. (Pic: Noel Celis/AFP)

The flames spread through the shanties along narrow alleyways too quickly to be contained. Seven people suffered minor injuries, and the cause of the blaze is being investigated, fire officer Edilberto Cruz said. There were no fatalities.

A top view of Parola Compound, which was razed to the ground as firefighters were unable to contain the flames. (Pic: Romeo Ranoco/Reuters)
Residents gather to examine their shanties destroyed by a massive blaze in Parola Compound, Tondo city. (Pic: Romeo Ranoco/Reuters)
A resident surveys the ruins of his house. (Pic: Ted Aljibe/AFP)

Social Welfare Officer Regina Jane Mata said they had opened three evacuation centres, where the 3,000 families now rendered homeless were being given food and water. Several residents are still huddled with some of their belongings at a nearby near street.

Fire victims gathered along a street after the blaze destroyed their shanties in Parola Compound, Tondo city, near Manila, Philippines. (Pic: Romeo Ranoco/Reuters)