Manila- A fire has left at least 25,000 people homeless in a town on a southern Philippine island, officials said Wednesday. The huge blaze gutted at least 3,500 houses in two seaside communities in Jolo town, 1,000 kilometers south of Manila, dpa quoted Mayor Kerkhar Tan as saying.

No casualties have so far been reported from the fire, Tan said. Initial investigation showed the fire began from a coffee shop and quickly spread to houses made of light materials in the village of Busbus and Walled City.