Caloocan fire put out after nearly 4 days

MANILA, Philippines - The fire at the Ever Gotesco Grand Central mall has been put out, authorities declared yesterday morning, nearly four days after the blaze started.

City fire marshal Superintendent Oscar de Asis officially made the announcement at 7:25 a.m. yesterday, around 80 hours after the fire broke out at just before 11 p.m. Friday. Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Metro Manila head Chief Superintendent Santiago Laguna confirmed De Asis’ announcement.

Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo instructed DILG Inter-Agency Anti-Arson Task Force, headed by Senior Superintendent Fennimore Jaudian, to determine the real cause of the fire and submit a report within 45 days.

BFP deputy chief for operations Chief Superintendent Ruben Bearis relieved De Asis yesterday and put Superintendent Jeremy Diaz in his place after Robredo expressed dismay over the Caloocan firefighters’ failure to put out the fire within a short period of time, according to BFP National Capital Region spokesman Chief Inspector Renato Marcial.

Sources said investigators will also verify reports that De Asis was drunk at the time the fire broke out and failed to give comprehensive instructions for firefighters to contain the blaze. De Asis has denied the allegation, saying he was asleep due to fatigue, not drunk.

Jaudian, who also headed previous investigations on high-profile fires – including the Oct. 21, 2007 Glorietta fire in Makati and the Superferry 14 bombing in 2004 – said they will be looking into all angles, including the possibility of arson.