ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Philippine Navy rescued dozens of families from a huge fire that broke out Sunday at the port area in the capital town of Bongao in the southern province of Tawi-Tawi.
The fire, which began at 2.30 a.m., burned several buildings and houses near the pier where the patrol corvette BRP Miguel Malvar was moored at the time of the conflagration, according to Rear Admiral Rene Medina, commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao.
Medina said crew members of the patrol ship led by Commander Charles Merric Villanueva immediately responded to the fire and rescued at least 50 families. “The crew of the navy vessel rescued and evacuated almost 50 families in the area and no casualties were reported,” he said.
He said Villanueva’s group also deployed two teams of fire fighters armed to combat the conflagration until firemen arrived. The fire lasted 3 hours.
The Bureau of Fire and Protection said it still investigating the cause of the fire. (Mindanao Examiner)
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