AID FOR FIRE VICTIMS. A total of 196 families or 677 individuals affected by the fire that razed Baseco compound, in Tondo, Manila on Wednesday evening (Oct. 13, 2021) are currently staying at the Baseco evacuation site. MSWD Director Ma. Asuncion Fugoso said Thursday (Oct. 14) the city government of Manila will continue to assist the victims. (Photo courtesy of Manila PIO) MANILA - The city government of Manila has provided assistance to the victims of the fire that left 196 families homeless in Baseco Compound in Tondo, Manila on Wednesday night. Manila Social Welfare Department (MSWD) director Ma. Asuncion Fugoso, in an interview with the Philippine News Agency on Thursday, said the families which are equivalent to 677 persons staying at the Baseco evacuation site are provided with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. She added that the MSWD also distributed face masks to the fire victims and that they are currently preparing the food boxes that will be distributed to the affected families. The city government has also provided the evacuees with modular tents, to make sure that safe physical distancing is properly observed amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. Meanwhile, Fugoso appealed to the fire victims staying at the evacuation site to strictly adhere to the imposed minimum health and safety protocols to mitigate the spread of Covid-19. "Sa lahat na nasa evacuation center, kailangang sumunod sa health protocols, dahil ayaw naman nating magkasakit sila. Hindi biro ang masunugan kaya mag iingat ang lahat palagi. Nakikiramay kmi sa pamilya ng isang nasawi sa sunog at sa lahat na nasunugan (To all those staying at the evacuation site, they have to follow the health protocols as we do not want them to get sick. It is not easy to lose one's house or property to fire and so everyone must always be cautious. We condole with the family of the victim who died because of the fire)," Fugoso said. A still unidentified male died in the incident while one female was reportedly injured in the fire that lasted for three hours, according to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). The BFP reported that the fire started shortly before 7 p.m. on Wednesday at a two-story residential shanty owned by a certain Mastora Guimat. About 100 houses were destroyed by the fire, bringing the estimated cost of damage to PHP700,000, according to the report by the BFP. The fire that reached the second alarm was declared out at 9:31 p.m. (PNA) }