MANILA, Philippines - Fire destroyed about 15 stalls inside the Litex-Commonwealth market in Quezon City on Monday evening.

Samira Ibrahim wept as she saw what was left of the shoes and slippers which she sells inside the public market.

"Naiiyak ako kasi pagsubok ito. Pagsubok ito ni Allah," Ibrahim said.

Another fire victim, Saima Sandev, could not hide her disappointment after some people allegedly took advantage of the fire to steal from her stall.

"Hindi man lang nila ako tinext o tinawagan. Yung mga pwede pang tinda pinagkukuha nila," Sandev said.

According to Flora Alvarez, she saw how the fire quickly spread around the market. She alleged that the blaze started at the center of the market where the Ukay-ukay (second hand) clothes were located.

"Natutulog kami tapos dito nagsimula yung apoy. Sabi doon sa lamayan may sunog," Alvarez said.

Authorities are still investigating the incident. They could not yet establish what caused the fire.

"Iimbistigahan pa natin. Hindi nating masabi na electricity kasi wala namang kuryente," said Deputy Chief Fire Marshall, Inspector Aristotle Bañaga.

The damage caused by the 20-minute fire was pegged at about P1 million. Report from Jacque Manabat, ABS-CBN News