Fire engulfs historic Manila Central Post Office

A massive fire razed the Manila Central Post Office in the early hours of Monday morning.

Images on social media showed the iconic building, declared as a national historical landmark, engulfed by the massive blaze that saw 80 firetrucks respond after the general alarm or highest fire alarm level was raised.

The fire was declared under control at 7:22am, and was believed to have started from the basement before immediately reaching the top floors.

An individual, identified as Toto Roslin, 43, was reported injured with a minor cut on his right hand.

The Manila Central Post Office is the headquarters of the state-owned Philippine Postal Corp, and is where the main mail sorting and country-wide distribution operations are housed.

Considered an architectural treasure, the Manila Central Post Office is a neoclassical structure designed by iconic Filipino architects Juan Arellano and Tomás Mapúa in 1926.

The building endured severe damage during the Battle of Manila in World War II, but was rebuilt in 1946.

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