Late Sunday evening, a massive fire broke out in the historic Central Post Office located in the Philippine capital, Manila. Firefighters battled the blaze for more than seven hours before finally getting it under control. This is reported by CNN.
The fire, which started around 11:45 p.m. local time, was reported to be at the highest level of danger before it was brought under control shortly before 6 a.m. on Monday. This is reported by the Bureau of Fire Protection.
On Monday, Bureau of Fire Protection Director Nahum B. Tarroza said the building's interior woodwork had burned all the way from the basement to the third floor.
"It's very sad because it's such an important part of our history," Tarroza said.
He added that an investigation has been launched into the fire, and investigators do not rule out the possibility of a malfunction in the electrical network or arson.
The Central Post Office building is located in the historic part of old Manila, along with other tourist attractions along the Pasig River that flows through the Philippine capital.
It was first built in 1926 by Filipino architects Juan M. Arellano and Tomás Mapua, but was severely damaged during World War II and rebuilt in 1946, retaining much of its original appearance.
In 2018, the building was declared an "Important Cultural Property", meaning that the country's oldest post office has exceptional cultural, artistic and historical significance to the Philippines.