Explanation for lapses in fire response sought

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Councilor Augustus Pe, Jr. would ask the City Fire Department to explain on its failure to follow the standing instruction of the city government.

This after the fire truck at the Lahug Fire Substation was not able to respond to the conflagration that hit the said barangay the other night.

More than 60 families were affected during the said incident which gutted 30 houses and lasted for 48 minutes before it was declared under control by the fire department.

The fire that reportedly started at the residence of one Simplicio Magno was raised to Task Force Alpha with an estimated damage to properties of more than P2 million.

It was learned from Supt. Esmael Codilla, city fire marshal, that the fire truck at the Lahug fire substation is “under major repair and was not able to respond during the incident.”

But Pe said that there is a standing instruction of the city to Codilla if their fire trucks can’t be used.

 “Our standing instruction to our fire marshal is that if there is a fire truck that’s not functioning in a particular fire substation, ang usa sa mga water tanker sa siyudad should be assigned there to cover up sa wa magdagan nga fire truck, he was already instructed long before nga mao na iyang himoon,” Pe said.

The councilor wanted Codilla to explain to them, for his failure to follow such instruction, during the Police Coordinating and Advisory Council meeting tomorrow.

Pe said that this is not the first time that a fire truck failed to respond in a fire incident that broke out just a few meters away from the fire substation.

The councilor cited the fire alarm last month in Florencio Urot Memorial National High School at the back of the Mabolo Fire Substation where the fire truck also failed to respond.

Pe who chairs the Committee on Public Order and Safety in the City Council is dismayed upon learning that more fire trucks in the city have not been working.

“We have weekly PCAC meeting where he (Codilla) is a part of, but he never reported nga naay mga fire truck nga guba,” Pe said.

The FREEMAN tried to contact Codilla yesterday for his reaction but he is not available and that his mobile phone is “out of reach.”

Sought for comment, Mayor Tomas Osmeña said that he is still satisfied with the performance of Codilla being the city fire marshal.

“Na-timing lang gyod nga nasunog ang lugar nga gi-repair ang fire truck but I don’t have any problem with Codilla,” Osmeña said.

The mayor has already instructed the social welfare services office in the city to attend to the needs of the fire victims in Lahug. — Elly Bolonos/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)