No Russian Embassy staff, diplomats injured in embassy fire

No embassy staff and diplomats were injured in the fire that broke out at the Russian Embassy in Makati City late Friday, its Foreign Ministry said.

All embassy employees were safely evacuated, it added.

"On the evening of February 4, a severe fire broke out in the building of the Russian embassy in Manila. There are no victims or injured. Employees and members of their families who were in the embassy were evacuated," the ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The fire, which started at the 2nd level of the embassy on Acacia Street in the upscale Dasmariñas Village, incurred damage amounting to at least P100 million, Philippine authorities said.

Police said the fire reached second alarm at 8:42 p.m. and was finally put out at 2:10 a.m. Saturday. 

"In cooperation with the Philippine emergency services, the main source of fire was quickly eliminated, and work to extinguish the fire will be completed in the near future," the ministry said.

Citing preliminary data, the ministry said its chancery suffered significant damage.

The cause of fire, it added, is being investigated. —KG, GMA News