MANDALUYONG CITY -- The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) was quick to respond when a blaze of fire and smoke broke out on May 2 at a residential area within the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman Campus.

PRC Chairman Senator Dick Gordon immediately directed the PRC Operations Center to deploy PRC’s firefighters and emergency medical services team to Village A of the UP compound in Quezon City as reports of fire started coming in around 5:20 in the morning.

The Red Cross quickly dispatched one fire truck with four trained firefighters and one ambulance unit with three emergency medical responders.

The local fire bureau estimates that about 80 houses were damaged, with about 250 families affected. The families who lost their homes were evacuated to temporary shelters at the Village A and B covered court.

Red Cross teams are currently conducting assessments and will be deploying its food trucks to provide hot meals to the affected families.

“Napakahalaga ng emergency response unit at emergency medical services sa mga komunidad. Ang Red Cross ay laging handa para rumesponde sa mga kalamidad katulad ng sunog,” Chairman Gordon said. (Philippine Red Cross)