PHILIPPINES - A devastating fire tore through Barangay Lamion, a coastal village in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi in the southern Philippines, late Tuesday night, leaving widespread destruction and thousands of residents displaced.

The blaze began around 10:09 p.m. on February 03, 2026, and raged for nearly four hours before firefighters brought it under control at about 2 a.m. on February 04, 2026. Fueled by strong winds and the highly flammable materials used in the village’s stilt houses, the fire spread quickly through the densely packed settlement.

Officials estimate that about 1,000 homes — mostly lightweight stilt structures — were destroyed in the inferno, displacing an estimated 5,000 people. Despite the scale of the disaster, no deaths have been reported in initial assessments, though many families lost everything they owned.

Local authorities, including the Bongao Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), coordinated evacuation efforts by both land and sea, relocating residents to temporary shelters such as the Mindanao State University Amilbahar Gym and other safe zones in the area.

Emergency response teams from the Bongao Central Fire Station, the Bureau of Fire Protection, and volunteer groups worked through the night, with support from the Philippine Coast Guard assisting in both rescue and firefighting operations. Several footbridges in the community were also destroyed, complicating access for rescue crews.

In response to the disaster, the Bangsamoro Ministry of Social Services and Development launched relief operations, distributing aid kits, establishing community kitchens, and beginning profiling for emergency cash assistance and shelter support to help families recover.

Investigators continue to examine the cause of the fire, which remains undetermined, though officials are exploring possible origins including a residential ignition point. As the community begins the long road to recovery, local leaders have called for broader support to help rebuild the affected neighborhood and restore homes for displaced families.