Fire hits APM Mall, 70 establishments affected
CEBU, Philippines — At least 70 establishments were razed in a fire that hit APM Mall, a commercial building at the North Reclamation Area in Cebu City on Friday.
The Cebu City Fire Office (CCFO) received the alarm at 1:52 p.m. and raised it to second alarm by 2:46 p.m. With the fire continued to burn persistently, a third alarm was raised by 3:43 p.m.
Firefighters eventually controlled the fire at 4:30 p.m. and put it out at 6:46 p.m. No one was reported hurt.
CCFO information officer Wendell Villanueva said they are initially looking at the possibility that the fire may have started at the food court.
"Initially, pagsulod sa atong mga investigators adto nakit-an sa food court so mura og nitan-aw ta sa possibly, LPG or electrical,” Villanueva said.
He said that based on the size of the area affected – up to 1,800 square meters – damage may be pegged at millions. Investigation is ongoing as of this writing.
"Once di na kaayo sya aso sa sulod, pwede na sya sudlon sa mga investigators para makita gyud kadak-an nag nasunog sa sulod," Villanueva said.
Villanueva said that as of 6 p.m., tenants of the building said all their employees were safe.
"Daghan og exits. Sa pagbuto sa kayo, ang mga tawo nakapanghipos pa og naka-evacuate dayon," he said.
One of the workers at the building told The Freeman other workers there tried to put the fire out using a fire extinguisher when it broke.
"Gi-try nila og fire extinguisher but dili na daw madala so mao, kusog kaayo ang aso, itom na sad kaayo, so mura mi’g ga-panic," she said. Now, she worries if she will have a job to go back to. – JMO (FREEMAN)
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