Tacloban, Leyte (CNN Philippines, October 24) — A fire broke out in a shopping mall in Tacloban City Wednesday evening, affecting 250 tenants.

The fire, which hit a local Robinsons Place mall, was declared under control at 11:23 p.m. Wednesday and fire out at 9:03 a.m., or 17 hours after it was first reported.

Bureau of Fire Protection Chief Inspector Josetilo Sabandal said the blaze, which started at at 5:47 p.m. and reached Task Force Alpha at 8:40 p.m. tore through the mall’s second floor.

Investigation is still underway to determine what caused the fire, Deputy Fire Marshall Jemar Mesiona said.

A total of 39 fire trucks from the towns of Abuyog, Alang-Alang, Barugo, Babatngon, Burauen, Carigara, Capoocan, Dagami, Dulag, Javier, Jaro, Julita, Mayorga, Palo, Pastrana, San Miguel, Sta. Fe, Tabon-Tabon, Tanauan, Tolosa and Volunteer Fire Brigades of Fil-Chinese Chamber, Green, White, Delta were deployed to control the fire that razed the biggest mall in Eastern Visayas.

The regional office of the Department of Labor and Employment conducted a profiling to affected workers on Thursday.

Some employers told DOLE-Region 8 that their workers will be absorbed by their Robinsons Abucay branch, while owners of other shops in the mall said that they still have to wait for the decision of Robinsons management as to when they can continue their operations.

According to Robinsons Malls, its Tacloban City mall serves over two million Filipinos in eastern Visayas.