The fire that gutted a mall in Libertad, Pasay City Thursday continued its onslaught before dawn Friday, burning down 30 shanties nearby. At least 70 people lost their homes.
The fire that was rekindled at 3:45 a.m. Friday came following the 18-hour blaze that gutted the WellCom Plaza building Thursday morning. The building also houses a Puregold supermarket.
It burned down 30 houses made of light materials at the back of the building. The blaze was pacified at 5:40 a.m. Occupants of the gutted homes have been evacuated to an elementary school.
Firefighters said the blaze was rekindled after the heat from the gutted mall was swept toward the shanties.
The mall fire started early Thursday and was declared out past 7 p.m. Fire volunteers who tried to breach the smoke-filled mall collapsed due to suffocation.
Fire investigators have yet to determine the cause of the mall fire.