Fire hits warehouse in Bicutan

MANILA, Philippines - An estimated P10 million worth of property went up in smoke after a fire engulfed a packaging warehouse in Bicutan, Taguig City yesterday morning.

Chief Inspector Junito Maslang, city fire marshal, said the fire broke out at the warehouse of the Tri-Star packaging company in the Veterans Compound at about 8:45 a.m.

Maslang said the building contained boxes and rolls of paper, making it difficult to immediately put out the fire, which spread to nearby warehouses.

“Investigators have yet to determine the cause and origin of the fire. We need to investigate first because we are receiving different versions of the story,” Maslang told The STAR.

The fire alarm was raised to Task Force Delta, signifying that about 30 fire trucks all over Metro Manila were needed to put out the fire, said Maslang.

As of 2 p.m. yesterday, firefighters had yet to put out the blaze. Maslang said volunteer firefighter Jeffrey Sarmiento, 30, suffered minor cuts in his left middle finger.

This was the second time in a week that a big fire hit Taguig City. An estimated P5 million worth of property was lost when a fire broke out at a residential-commercial building last Tuesday. No one was hurt but the fire alarm was raised to Task Force Alpha.