3 fires greet prevention month opening

CEBU, Philippines - Three fire incidents yesterday marred the opening of the Fire Prevention Month in Cebu with an estimated damage of over P1 million.

The first fire which ushered in the month of March broke out in Barangay Daantabogon in the northern town of  Tabogon.  The fire razed the house of Severina Gonzaga, 85. Fire investigators estimated the damage at P750,000.

An AUV also caught fire past 12 noon yesterday at the South Road Properties in Cebu City. Perly Antiola, who owns the Mitsubishi Adventure, said that she was heading to Cebu City from Talisay when her car suddenly caught fire.

Antiola said the fire started at the steering wheel prompted her to immediately pull over and called for assistance. Fire investigators believe that the vehicle’s defective wirings might have caused the fire.

Another fire hit a house in Sitio Pangpang, Andress Abellana Extension, Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City before the first day of March ended. The house was owned by George Dela Calzada.

It was, however, declared under control five minutes later. Fire investigators eyed electrical short circuit as possible cause.

The Fire Prevention Month kicked off yesterday with the simultaneous parade and blowing of horns of all fire trucks.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) yesterday conducted the “Walk for a Fire Free and Fire Safe Nation” in the morning followed by the blowing of horns for five minutes at 12 noon.

Comparative data from BFP regional operations division headed by former Cebu City fire marshal and lawyer Vonrad Fernando Dubluis shows that most of the provincial units in Central Visayas noted more fire incidents for the first two months this year than last year.

Only Lapu-Lapu Fire Department noted a decrease from last year’s four cases to this year’s three for the months of January and February.

Cebu topped the list of most number of fire incidents for both years. For the first two months alone, Cebu has already recorded 114 fire incidents. This is 142.55 percent higher than the 47 incidents last year.

Bohol has so far reported 25 fire incidents, also an increase of 66.66 percent from last year’s 15 incidents.

Negros Oriental reported 35 fire incidents already since January. There is also an increase from last year’s 20 fire incidents.

BFP-7 director, Senior Superintendent Ma. Luisa Hadjula, yesterday told reporters that a Japanese city will donate fire fighting equipment.

Daitô, a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan, is set to give second hand firefighting equipment to Consolacion fire station.

Hadjula added that spare equipment will be handed to the regional office. — (FREEMAN)