MANILA (5th UPDATE) — Airport firefighters have contained a fire at the parking extension of Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 on Monday and are investigating how it started.

According to the Manila International Airport Authority, it received reports of the fire at 1:28 p.m. It was declared fire out by 1:57 p.m. 

"It started with one car that caught fire in the car park then the rest of the vehicles followed because it was so hot," said Lane Macleod, who filmed one of the videos from inside the terminal.

"We were inside the airport at that time. We just saw it from the window," she told AFP.

The MIAA said its rescue and firefighting division was "still conducting mopping operations and determining real cause of the incident."

Speaking on TeleRadyo Serbisyo, MIAA General Manager Eric Ines said the fire, which happened in a vacant area that was being used as a parking lot, did not affect airport operations.

"Ito'y medyo 300 meters away from the terminal. Yung vacant lot na ginawang parking lot ng isang concessionaire. Walang naantalang operation," he said, acknowledging however that around 19 vehicles parked in the area were affected.

(This is around 300 meters away from the terminal, in a vacant lot that a concessionaire was using as a parking lot. No operations were affected.)

He said that grass in the area was dry and that it was windy outside, which could have contributed to the fire spreading.

He said authorities have yet to determine how the fire started.

The heat index was expected to reach 41 degrees Celsius at the airport on Monday, according to the state weather forecaster.

The months of March, April and May are typically the hottest and driest in the archipelago nation but conditions have been exacerbated by the El Nino weather phenomenon.

The country's heat index measures what a temperature feels like, taking into account humidity.

The actual temperature in the capital reached nearly 37C by mid-afternoon.

 BFP CONFIRMS GRASS FIRE

 The Bureau of Fire Protection is also conducting an investigation into the fire.

Under BFP Standard Operating Procedure 2023-001, the bureau has the authority to investigate fire incidents "notwithstanding the concurrent jurisdiction of other government agencies with investigative mandate."

In a separate interview on Teleradyo, SFO1 Rezmond Geronimo of the Pasay City Fire Station said they have verified that it was a case of grass fire.

“Ito po ay verified grass fire. Maaaring yung sunog ay nagsimula sa tuyong damuhan at gumapang papunta doon sa parking area,” he said.

“Damuhan po ito, maraming duyong dahon o mga damo sa paligid. Lalong-lalo na mainit ang panahon, ito ay nagko-contribute para maging malapit sa grass fire ang ating lugar. Hindi naman ito common na nangyayari. Hindi yata nila na-foresee yung ganitong insidente. Kung titingnan yung area, napaliligiran ito ng damuhan,” Geronimo added.

(This was a grass fire. The blaze could have started from a grassy area and spread to the parking area. There was dried grass there. Hot weather contributes to grass fire. This is uncommon. They may have failed to foresee this incident.)

He also said the direction of the wind could have contributed to the spread of the fire.

AFFECTED VEHICLE OWNERS TO BE COMPENSATED

Ines said Philippine Skylanders International Inc. has a 15-year contract to occupy the said space. They were supposed to build a structure but since they have yet to start the construction, they are temporarily renting it out as parking space.

He also said he has coordinated with the company and they said they will take responsibility for the damage caused by the fire.

“Tinanong ko sa kanya, liability ninyo? ‘Yung cause of fire, tapos lahat daw ng nangyari eh sasagutin nila. Sabi ko eh siguraduhin mo. Babayaran niyo ba, papalitan niyo ba ‘yung mga nasunog na sasakyan? You have to be very specific, sabi ko,” Ines said.

Ines said he is not convinced with the company’s promise to pay for the damage so he will ask the company to formalize everything into writing so the affected vehicle owners can have something to hold on to.

ABS-CBN News tried to get a comment from PSI. They said they are already coordinating with the MIAA regarding the incident.

Affected car owners can coordinate with PSI through their hotline number (02) 88551061. -- With a report from Agence France-Presse