Around 600 houses were totally destroyed in a huge fire that hit a congested neighborhood in Barangay Pusok in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu on Tuesday afternoon.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan estimated around 20,000 individuals were affected and rendered homeless because of the blaze that began past 1 p.m.

There are no reports of injuries, but most of the residents were not able to save their belongings.

The mayor said it could be the biggest fire ever recorded in Lapu-Lapu City.

Most of the houses in the neighborhood were made of light materials. Some of the houses were on stilts near the shores of the Mactan Channel.

Chan assured the residents that the city government will immediately provide assistance.

The mayor added that City Hall will cancel its Christmas parties and use the budget to help the fire victims instead.

The cause of the fire is still being investigated by the local fire department.