ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 21, 2014) – A huge fire has razed dozens of houses late Friday in the southern Philippine city of Zamboanga, officials said.
Officials said the conflagration swept through Canelar and left hundreds of people without homes. The cause of the fire is still unknown, but arson investigators have launched a probe to determine if was deliberate or not.
There was no immediate report of casualties, but the conflagration damaged several blocks in the area and fire fighters took turns in spraying water from pressurized hoses to prevent the fire from further spreading to other places.
The fire broke out just as the city was suffering from a water shortage and many of its fire engines were either broken down or dilapidated.
Zamboanga is still reeling from a rebel attack in September that sparked a three week street battles between security forces and members of the Moro National Liberation Front and left many villagers in ruins after gun fires and rockets burned houses and structures.(Mindanao Examiner)
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