Short-circuit delays Senate session opening

A two-minute fire caused by an electrical switchboard short-circuit delayed the opening of the Senate session for 30 minutes yesterday afternoon.

Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Jose Balajada immediately dismissed speculations that sabotage or a terrorist attack caused the fire in the stockroom located near the session hall of the Senate building in Pasay City.

The fire, which occurred at 2:27 p.m., was put off by Senate security employees with the use of a fire extinguisher.

One employee, identified as Teddy Fernandez of the Office of the Senate sergeant-at-arms, suffered a minor fingertip injury when he broke the glass casing of the fire extinguisher.

The stockroom, where the fire occurred, is on the second floor and is adjacent to the session hall where senators hold their regular 4 p.m. sessions. It is located near the Senate lounge where the lawmakers take their snacks and entertain visitors.

Senate employee Hadji Galvin Lim, who helped put out the fire, theorized that a power upsurge must have caused the circuit breaker to overload and ignite.

Balajada said the session was delayed as it took some time for employees to restore power in the affected portion of the building. — Sammy Santos