Phil. Daily Inquirer, December 31, 2006
A UNIT in a high-rise condominium caught fire yesterday afternoon in Lapu-Lapu City, but the blaze was put out before it could spread to other units.
Thick smoke engulfed the third floor of the eight-story EGI Association Building in barangay Maribago. Property damage was estimated at P300,000. Nobody was reported injured.
The owner, Dr. Sonia Ycarma, immediately called for help when she noticed the flames in Room 302.
“She shouted ‘Sunog, sunog’,” recalls the duty guard Elizardo Turtoga, who recorded the fire in his logbook at 2:43 p.m.
Firefighters, however, said they received the call for assistance much later at 4:20 p.m.
Fire investigators took a sample of a burnt piece of wire for laboratory examination by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). According to a room occupant, the fire started near the air conditioner.
“We cannot make a conclusion yet unless we have the results to determine if this was caused by a short circuit or misuse of electricity,” said Chief Investigator Atilano Berido of Lapu-Lapu City.
Responding firemen noticed the absence of emergency signs, emergency lights and evacuation maps in the building, which is adjacent to the EGI Resort and Hotel in barangay Maribago.
Supt. Anderson Comar, deputy director for operations of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BoF) in Central Visayas (BFP-7) and Berido said these lapses should be corrected.
“These fire warning signs are needed especially since the building is a high-rise,” Berido said. The condominium has eight floors with 88 residential and four commercial units.
“This is the lookout of the city fire marshal. These requirements should have been complied with before the issuance of a business permit. I will make a report to the regional director,” Comar said.
Some condominium residents were already outside when thick smoke engulfed the third floor and upper floors.
Turtoga, the guard on duty, said they went from room to room checking on occupants to ensure that every single one was able to get out.
Building administrator Mayette Aying said some personnel used fire extinguishers to douse the flames and the plumber turned off the main power switch as a safety measure so the fire wouldn’t spread.
Aying denied that the building lacked safety signages. She said all the rooms have signs that state “This way to the fire exit.”
“Pero gagmay lang (but the letters are small),” she said.
When the main power switch was turned off, it caused one problem - the dry stand pipe (equivalent to a fire hydrant) on each floor of the building wouldn’t work. Water is pumped electrically in the building.
“Useless gihapon ang inyong system,” Comar told plumber Bernardo Monterela.
Monterela explained that the water sprinkler had not been functioning for several weeks because of a problem in the pipe from the main water source.
“I was working on that when the fire hit,” he said in Cebuano.
