Firemen helpless in conflagrations

Metro Manila firemen are not capable of fighting large-scale conflagrations such as an accidental explosion of the Pandacan oil depot, due to inadequate firefighting equipment.

This was revealed by leaders of a firemen’s group who blamed corrupt officials of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) for the sorry state of firefighting units in the country.

Alvin Estrada, spokesman of the 10,000-strong United Firefighters of the Philippines (UFFP), said the country’s firemen are brave and dedicated but are greatly hampered by the lack of modern firefighting apparatus.

A foreign expert on disaster management warned the other day that a large part of Manila, including Malacañang Palace, could be obliterated in case of an accidental explosion at the Pandacan oil depot.

"I’m sorry to say this, but we (firemen) might just end up staring at the huge ball of fire (of some 4 kilometers in diameter) in case such an accident happens," Estrada said.

He revealed also that Manila has currently only four operating firetrucks. He said the lack of firetrucks is the reason for the recent big fires recorded in Manila.

Estrada further, revealed that some P436 million was released by the government on Dec. 11, 1998 for the BFP to procure additional firetrucks, hoses and nozzles.

However, Estrada said, the equipment supposedly procured has not reached the fire stations or the hands of firefighters.

Aidan Tasker-Lynch, an Irish expatriate, likened the possible devastation of Manila to the incident in Mexico City in 1984 where more than 600 people perished after a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) plant accidentally ignited and exploded. The plant was surrounded a one- kilometer-radius safety zone, within which there were no houses or buildings, yet, 600 people, outside the safety zone, died.

"The Mexico tragedy would pale in comparison with what would happen in Manila in case the Pandacan oil depot explodes," Tasker-Lynch said.

Tasker-Lynch noted that the Pandacan depot is situated right in the middle of the city where residents have built houses even right beside the perimeter fence of the oil depot. Hence, a Pandacan disaster would be 10 times what happend in Mexico City.

He also feared that terrorist acts, such as bombings by urban rebels, make the Pandacan oil depot where the three biggest local oil companies manufacture or store LPG, gasoline, aviation gas, diesel, kerosene and other flammable products, a very high risk.

Tasker-Lynch figures a Pandacan depot explosion could result in a two-kilometer radius of devastation that would reach up to Malacañang Palace.

"Fire could even travel through the Pasig River since gasoline and its derivatives are lighter than water. This could result in a monstrous catastrophe in terms of lives and properties lost," he added.

Tasker-Lynch called on authorities to effect the immediate relocation of the Pandacan oil depot to prevent a frightening major catastrophe from happening in Manila.

He said, Murphy’s Law, which states that when something can happen, it happens, could cause the accidental explosion of the Padacan oil facilities, as in the Mexico City disaster which was caused by a mere spark from an automobile exhaust pipe.

Meanwhile, a smaller fire it may have been, but there is certainly a lesson to be learned from yesterday’s incident in Valenzuela City caused by simple carelessness.

According to investigating officer, Fire Officer 2 Dominador Lota of the Valenzuela Fire Department, the fire that injured 21-year-old delivery boy Sonny Sinocbit, of 2043 La Mesa St., Ugong, Valenzuela, could have been avoided had his costumer, Roseno Eugenio, remembered to turn off his Super Kalan.

According to Lota, the incident happened at around 12:16 p.m. in Eugenio’s house at 2071 La Mesa St.

Lota’s investigation showed that Eugenio called up ALA Trading, also in Valenzuela, and ordered an LPG tank. The LPG was promptly delivered by Sinocbit.

Eugenio requested Sinocbit to connect the tank to the gas stove.

"Apparently, everybody forgot about the Super Kalan that they were using," Lota said in Filipino.

The tank leaked as Sinocbit prepared to connect the hose to the stove, causing the Super Kalan to ignite the leaking gas which burst into flames, Lota said.

The fire quickly licked at Eugenio’s kitchen ceiling while Sinocbit suffered second-degree burns on his upper right arm and shoulder. – Nikko Dizon