Six people were killed in a fire reportedly caused by faulty Christmas lights in a house in the Philippines.

Footage shows the raging flames engulfing a four-storey residential building on Blumentritt St., Sampaloc, Manila, early in the morning of Saturday, December 7.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said they were alerted at around 2:40 am.

Around 12 fire trucks immediately responded to the blaze, which reached the second alarm.

Authorities reported that the victims were two children and four adults from two families.

Firefighters and volunteers struggled to access the area due to a narrow entrance, allowing only one person to pass at a time.

Officials said the second floor of the house collapsed onto the first floor.

BFP Manila Station 5's Fire Senior Inspector Cesar Babante said: 'The house had a rough finish, and the flooring on the second floor was wooden. It caught fire and collapsed.'

Three bodies were found on the second floor, while the others were found on the ground floor.

The blaze was controlled by 3:47 am and declared out at 4:24 am.

BFP-Sampaloc's initial investigation estimates damage at 102,000 PHP (1,378 GBP), affecting 27 people or nine families.

The BFP is investigating the cause of the fire, with an electrical wiring issue on the ground floor suspected.

Authorities also issued a warning about using Christmas lights for decoration, advising that they should be accredited by the Department of Trade and Industry. They also cautioned against leaving the lights on overnight.

(1 PHP = 0.014 GBP)