Hong Kong
CNN
—
An enormous fireplace broke out on the historic Manila Central Put up Workplace within the Philippine capital late Sunday, with groups of firefighters battling for greater than seven hours by way of the evening earlier than it was lastly introduced beneath management.
The fireplace began round 11:45 p.m. native time and the scenario was raised to the very best fireplace alarm stage simply earlier than 6 a.m on Monday earlier than it was introduced beneath management about an hour later, in keeping with the Bureau of Hearth Safety.
As firefighters labored to manage the flames, thick smoke could possibly be seen billowing from the home windows of the neoclassical constructing, identified for its grand entry lined with ornate columns.
Nahum B. Tarroza, director of the Nationwide Capital Area’s Bureau of Hearth Safety, instructed reporters later Monday that the interior wood construction of the constructing was burned all the best way from the basement to the third ground.
“It’s very saddening as a result of that is such an necessary a part of our historical past,” mentioned Tarroza, including that papers, books and mail probably fueled the flames.
He mentioned an investigation can be launched into the hearth, and investigators haven’t dominated out the potential of {an electrical} fault or arson.
The submit workplace constructing sits throughout the historic Manila outdated city close to different vacationer landmarks alongside the Pasig River that flows by way of the capital.
Designed by Filipino architects Juan M. Arellano and Tomás Mapúa, it was first inbuilt 1926. The constructing was severely broken throughout World Conflict II however was rebuilt in 1946, preserving most of its authentic edifice.
It was declared an “necessary cultural property” in 2018, which means the nation’s oldest submit workplace was of “distinctive cultural, inventive, and historic significance to the Philippines,” in keeping with CNN affiliate CNN Philippines.
Manila Mayor Maria Sheilah “Honey” Lacuna-Pangan mentioned the hearth resulted in damages of round $5.4 million (300 million Philippine pesos), primarily based on estimates from the Bureau of Hearth Safety.
Because the constructing was declared a nationwide heritage zone, no different kind of construction is allowed to be constructed on the positioning apart from the historic submit workplace, she added.
“The Metropolis of Manila will work with the nationwide authorities to collectively assist restore the unique construction of the Manila Central Put up Workplace the place it as soon as stood,” she mentioned.
The constructing presently homes the Philippine Postal Company, the government-run postal service that handles all the things from common mail to parcels and particular stamp collections.
Mark Laurente, chief of workers of the postmaster basic, mentioned nationwide identification playing cards had been spared from the hearth as these had been saved in one other metropolis, CNN Philippines reported Monday morning.
