Phil. Daily Inquirer, November 20, 2006
The fire that hit a rattan furniture factory in Mandaue City left some 500 workers and their families worried about their future.
Some of them have been working with Cebu Countrycraft Furniture Corp., owned by a certain Tony Yu, for 18 years.
Yu has allowed his workers and their families to stay within the two-hectare factory compound enjoying free lodging, water and electricity.
Four of the five factory buildings were destroyed, but the fire spared the bunkhouse where the workers and their families were staying.
"Some of the workers' kids practically grew up there," Mandaue City fire investigator Roy Garcia told Cebu Daily News.
The damage was pegged at P1.4 million.
The city government will assist the displaced workers and their families, said Cheryl Ouano, Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano's personal secretary.
Garcia said the fire started at the factory's finishing section where flammable chemicals were kept.
"Investigation is still ongoing. Wala pa ma-establish kung unsa ang cause (We have not yet established the cause)," Garcia said. Senior Fire Officer 2 Teresito Mata is investigating the case, he added.
Mandaue Councilor Carlo Fortuna said he brought some of the workers to the Social Development Center at the Mandaue City Hall.
Garcia said the employees sympathized with the owner. They described Yu as very kind for allowing them to stay in his factory for free.
With the huge damage that the company sustained, the workers did not know if it could re-open, Garcia said.
"Nanghilak lagi to'ng kadaghanan kay mag-unsa nalang kono sila nga maayo man gyud ang ilang pagkabutang sud sa kompaniya (Most of them cried, worried about their future because they were treated very well by this firm)," Garcia said.
When the fire broke out at 9:05 p.m. on Saturday, the employees and the members of their families rushed outside the compound through the main gate and some through a portion of the fence made of barbed wire and galvanized iron sheets.
The fire was declared under control after 50 minutes. No one was hurt, Garcia said.
The company's human resource officer, Robert Tan, said that when he saw the fire, it was already spreading.
"Nagduda siya nga electrical ang hinungdan kay paspas man kaayo ang pag-spread sa kayo (Tan suspected it to be caused by a faulty electrical wiring because it spread so fast)," Garcia said.
Fire trucks from the cities of Cebu and Lapu-Lapu as well as the towns of Lilo-an and Consolacion helped to contain the fire.
Rescue personnel from the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation and other groups also joined in.
