Manila, Philippines - Philippine authorities say a fire swept through three adjacent hotels, killing three American retirees, one South Korean and two Filipino women.

Disaster response official Angelito Layug said one of the Americans was trapped on a staircase and the two others died in their rooms early today in Olongapo city, a former U.S. naval base west of the capital, Manila.

The blaze hit the small hotel buildings that are located next to each other at 3 a.m. and was put out three hours later.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.