Hundreds of coastal villagers were displaced after at least 60 houses were gutted by fire in Zamboanga City, Sunday morning.

Village officials said the fire in Zone 3, Barangay Cawit, was caused by faulty electrical wiring.

Residents tried to salvage their homes, mostly made of light materials, by splashing the blaze with sea water. The fire, however, spread due to strong winds.

Insi Mampong, 65, told ABS-CBN Zamboanga that she was not able to save anything except her grandsons. She said all their belongings went up in smoke.

"My daughter just came home from the Middle East. All of the appliances, clothes and important documents were burned. We're only left with the clothes that we were wearing. We will have to start from scratch again," Mampong said in the local dialect.

Village officials were contemplating on declaring a state of calamity. Village chief Rey Modillas said they could use an extra fund to provide temporary shelter and food assistance for the victims.

Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat has ordered the Office of the City Social Welfare to provide relief assistance and open a nearby school as a temporary shelter.

Last month, a baby died in a fire that struck a house in Barangay Sta. Barbara. The baby's parents were severely injured by the blaze. -- report from Jewel Reyes, ABS-CBN Zamboanga