Hong Kong CNN —A massive fire broke out at the historic Manila Central Post Office in the Philippine capital late Sunday, with teams of fire fighters battling for more than seven hours through the night before it was finally brought under control.
The building sits within the historic old Manila town near other tourist landmarks along the Pasig River that flows through the capital.
The post office was first built in 1926 and designed by Filipino architects Juan M. Arellano and Tomás Mapúa.
Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)/FacebookIt was declared an “important cultural property” in 2018, meaning the country’s oldest post office was of “exceptional cultural, artistic, and historical significance to the Philippines,” according to CNN affiliate CNN Philippines.
Mark Laurente, chief of staff of the postmaster general, said that national identification cards were spared from the fire as those were stored in another city, CNN Philippines reported Monday morning.