Philippine Coast Guard responds to fire in coastal town in Zamboanga City

The Philippine Coast Guard has deployed vessels and personnel to aid in firefighting and search and rescue (SAR) efforts after a blaze ignited in a small coastal community in Zamboanga City on Saturday, March 20.

The multi-role response vessel (MRRV) BRP Bagacay and the fast patrol boat BRP Malamawi were despatched to the Campo Islam community in Zamboanga City’s Baliwasan seaside to assist local firefighting teams in responding to the incident, which began at around 04:00 local time.

The fire was finally extinguished by 08:00. No injuries have been reported, though around 200 houses made from light materials were razed to the ground.

The incident, which left an estimated PHP2 million (US$41,100) in damages, was said to have originated in an abandoned house in the same community.