The historic main post office in the Philippine capital Manila was destroyed by fire overnight. The cause of the fire is still unclear. The building is considered a landmark and is to be rebuilt.
A devastating fire has destroyed the historic main post office building in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. The fire broke out in the basement of the neoclassical five-storey building on Sunday evening for reasons that are still unclear.
The flames could only be brought under control on Monday morning (local time) after more than seven hours, according to the local fire protection office. One person is said to have been slightly injured in the fire. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire and the damage, officials said.
Letters and packages fall victim to flames
According to Luis Carlos, Postmaster General and CEO of the Philippine Postal Corporation (Philpost), all the letters, packages and paperwork stored in the iconic building were destroyed by the blaze.
The country’s entire stamp library was also burned, Carlos said. “The whole structure itself is important because it is a cultural heritage,” said the postmaster. It will definitely be rebuilt. The building was the country’s main mail sorting and distribution center and the headquarters of Philpost.
Post Office as a historical landmark
The Manila Central Post Office was built in 1926 and is considered a national landmark. During the Second World War it was severely damaged and in 1946 it was rebuilt almost true to the original. It is located on the Pasig River and at a major crossroads of the main avenues of the Philippine capital, Manila.