A fire broke out at a condominium building in Quezon City, prompting the evacuation of residents.
Photo: Unsplash
On the morning of June 18, thick smoke was seen billowing from Olympic Heights Tower 3 in Barangay Bagumbayan, Quezon City. According to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), the blaze started at 6:53 AM as a rubbish fire but quickly escalated to a third alarm due to heavy smoke accumulation within the 30-story building.
The fire was declared under control and eventually put out at 10:07 AM. All residents who were initially reported trapped inside the building were safely evacuated.
One occupant recalled waking up with his wife to the smell of what seemed to be burning plastic. However, evacuating their unit proved difficult due to a thick wall of black smoke that made it nearly impossible to see or breathe.
At the time, they said they could not risk using the fire exits because smoke had already spread to those areas. According to messages from other residents, the exits were also filled with smoke. They also claimed that no fire alarms were heard on their floor when the incident occurred.
While authorities were able to evacuate them, some of those trapped inside shared that they had to breathe through open windows and felt close to suffocating. As a result, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) deployed additional ambulances to assist individuals who experienced smoke inhalation.
As of writing, details regarding the cause of the fire, the extent of the damage, and the estimated losses have yet to be released.
Residents are now focused on spreading awareness and seeking assistance as they recover from the incident.
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