A pre-dawn blaze tore through a residential neighborhood in Barangay Tejeros on Saturday, Jan. 24, leaving an elderly couple dead and at least six other residents injured.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) identified the fatalities as a 70-year-old man and his 69-year-old wife.
Their bodies were recovered after the fire razed their home on D. Gomez Street.
According to Makati City Fire Marshal Superintendent Mariano Taguiam, the alarm was first raised at 1:54 a.m.
The fire quickly escalated to the third alarm as it spread through a dense cluster of houses built mostly of light, flammable materials.
“Our firefighters faced significant challenges due to the narrow alleys and the strong winds that fanned the flames,” Taguiam said in Filipino.
He added that the distance of available fire hydrants forced responders to call for additional backup from neighboring stations to maintain a steady water supply.
The BFP declared the fire under control at 4:26 a.m. and officially “fire out” by 6:40 a.m.
Medical teams treated six civilians at the scene for various injuries, including lacerations, breathing difficulties, dizziness, and one reported seizure.
No injuries were reported among the firefighting personnel.
Initial assessments indicate the fire destroyed approximately 50 houses across a 1,260-square-meter area, causing an estimated P1.89 million in property damage.
Makati Mayor Nancy Binay expressed her condolences to the victims’ families and confirmed that the city government has mobilized relief efforts.
According to the Makati Social Welfare Department, 126 families—totaling 366 individuals—have been displaced. The evacuees are currently being sheltered at the Barangay Carmona Covered Court.
“It is heartbreaking news that we lost a couple in this fire,” Mayor Binay said. “We are prioritizing their temporary housing and immediate needs.”
Local neighborhood association president Julio Magalpoc noted that many residents, himself included, were unable to save any belongings as the fire spread rapidly while most were asleep.
Displaced families are now appealing for donations of food, clothing, and hygiene kits.
Arson investigators are still determining the exact cause of the blaze, though preliminary reports suggest the fire may have originated on the second floor of one of the residential structures.