20150506 Philippine Textile warehouse razed by fire
Philippines May 06 2015 “Warehouses”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : 1 to 29 Injured : injured 0 or unknown
Textile warehouse razed by fire
Updated: 2015-05-07-12:00
Firefighters battle a huge blaze that engulfed the warehouse of the Cebu Bazaar along La Guardia Extension in Lahug, Cebu City yesterday afternoon.
The textile warehouse of Cebu Bazaar in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City was reduced to ashes by a fire caused by electrical short circuit yesterday afternoon.
Fire Officer 3 Ferlando Iban said personnel at the warehouse were working using a welding machine but the extension wire they were using reportedly got cut off and landed on rolls of textiles.
“Naay nag-welding unya nagka-electrical short circuit naputol tong wire nga ilang gi-connect, napad-ay sa textile mao to niulbo,” Iban said.
The warehouse had no fire protection equipment so the workers had to rush out to get something to put the fire out. As they were doing so, the fire spread quickly and engulfed the whole building.
Iban said responding to the fire was difficult because only one road leads to the warehouse.
The fire persisted for three hours from the time they received the alarm at 3:55 p.m. and while it was placed under control by 4:27 p.m., it may take until today for it to be fully put out.
Iban said the low water pressure from fire hydrants nearby is also made response more difficult.
Aside from the warehouse itself, the garage of the house of the owner, Johnny Co, was also partially damaged.
Cost of structural damage was estimated at P200,000 but Cebu City Fire Marshal Rogelio Bongabong Jr. said this does not include the cost of the textiles that got burned.
Iban said had the fire station been aware of the presence of the warehouse at Co’s residence, the station could have advised the owner of the firefighting equipment that could have been acquired.
He said warehouses that do not adhere to fire safety regulations can face a problem when it comes to insurance claims.
The warehouse was located in Sitio La Guardia Extension in Barangay Lahug.
Web Source: Philstar
http://www.philstar.com/cebu-news/2015/05/07/1452107/textile-warehouse-razed-fire