A COMMERCIAL establishment was razed in a three-hour fire that hit Zamboanga City late Thursday, an official disclosed.

Chief Inspector Jacqueline Ortega, Zamboanga City Fire District (ZCFD) marshal, said the fire broke out at 8:55 p.m. Thursday, March 5, and razed the Budgetwise department store at the corner of Veterans Avenue and Campaner Street in Zone 3 Village.

The department store sells grocery products, appliances, furniture, and other household products.

Ortega said they raised the alarm to Task Force Bravo due to the huge structure full of combustible materials and location in a residential area.

She said the fire originated from a spark in the store’s generator that rapidly spread and engulfed the department store.

Ortega said that fire out was declared at 11:57 p.m. as the firefighters managed to contained and extinguished the blaze.

She said they have yet to determine the worth of properties damaged by the fire. (SunStar Zamboanga)