1st day of prevention month: Crame hit by fire anew

Fire hit an office of the Firearms and Explosives Division (FED) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Camp Crame in Quezon City yesterday, the first day of Fire Prevention Month.

It is the second fire to hit the PNP headquarters in five days.

FED chief Senior Superintendent Arturo Cacdac said the incident took place at around 4 p.m. at the kitchen of the canteen managed by the FED cooperative located on the third floor of the FED building.

Personnel said that had the fire not been contained immediately, it could have reached the FED stockroom located at the back of the building, where several firearms and explosives are kept.

"It was just a minor incident. It was immediately placed under control by FED personnel with the assistance of the Headquarters Services Support unit," said Cacdac, who himself led personnel in putting out the fire.

"We are lucky that it happened during office hours. We used fire extinguishers to put it out," he said.

The fire lasted less than 10 minutes. Smoke was heavy, prompting officials to order a cut-off of electricity. Direct personnel were also ordered to temporarily evacuate their offices.

Cacdac said initial investigation showed that the fire may have been caused by a lighted cigarette butt thrown at a floor mat.

Firetrucks arrived shortly after the fire was put out, but arson probers and HSS personnel had to check the ceilings to determine if there were faulty wires.

HSS and Crame fire personnel conducted mapping operations at the building.

Last Feb. 25, a fire that gutted the old logistics building at Camp Crame destroyed some P14 million in property and firearms. Three firemen and a policeman were injured in the incident.

Meanwhile, fire hit a Parañaque hardware store at noon last Sunday damaging about P1.5 million worth of property.

Destroyed by the fire was the 1999 Hardware Store reportedly owned by a certain James Hanio, along Sucat Road near Evacom, Gatchalian Subdivision, Barangay San Dionisio. – Christina Mendez, Edu Punay