Fire destroys historic Philippine post office

The Philippine Bureau of Fire Protection said more than 80 fire trucks were dispatched to the decades-old landmark after the blaze broke out late Sunday.

A fire has destroyed a historic post office building in the Philippine capital Manila. Photo: AFP

Thick black smoke billowed hundreds of metres into the sky as flames tore through the neoclassical Manila Central Post Office overlooking the Pasig River. Firefighters in the Philippine capital were deployed to battle the blaze.

It took firefighters more than seven hours to bring the fire under control. "The entire building was burned from the basement to the fifth floor," Postmaster General Luis Carlos told DZBB radio. He said the cause of the fire was under investigation.

Originally built in 1926, the post office was once considered the “grandest building” in Manila, according to the post office’s website. It was destroyed during World War II when American forces recaptured the capital from the occupying Japanese and rebuilt in 1946.

The National Museum of the Philippines declared the building an “important cultural property” in 2018. Mr. Carlos said letters, parcels and the entire postal agency’s stamp collection were in the building and were likely destroyed by the fire.

Hoang Huy (according to AFP, CNA)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/hoa-hoan-thieu-huy-buu-dien-lich-su-cua-philippines-post248686.html