Holiday fire incidents down from 2011
says Manila arson chief
MANILA, Philippines - There have been less
fires in the 2012 holiday season compared to
the previous year, with both Metro Manila
and Region 3 -- the main source of
pyrotechnics supply in the country -- seeing a
drop in fire incidents.
The Bureau of Fire Protection on Monday,
January 7, said that reports sent to its
headquarters showed a drop in recorded fire
incidents during the holiday season or the
month of December, from 247 in 2011 to 206
in 2012.
The 7% decrease also meant a drop in damage
to properties during the same period. From
P10 million in 2012, the total damage to
properties in 2012 was down to P3.8 million.
Zero pyrotechnics related fire incidents were
also reported in Region 3 over the month of
December.
The BFP cited its strict implementation of its
fire prevention drive, Oplan Paalalaa, in the
entire region as the reason for the decrease.
A significant part of the BFP's prevention
campaign was their prohibition on the use of
sky lanterns or fire balloons in residential and
commercial areas, which the fire bureau said
can become a major cause of fires when it
falls on roofs or other combustible material.
Among the major fires that hit Metro Manila
in December included a Christmas Eve fire in
Divisoria that left at least a P1-million worth
of damage, and a fire in San Juanthat left
2,000 families homeless.
Fire in 4 Binondo buildings ‘suspicious,’
Chief Senior Inspector Reden Alumno, arson
chief of the Bureau of Fire Protection Manila,
says the fire occurred past midnight after a
weekend – the hours when arsonists usually
operate
UP IN SMOKE. Inside the Land Management
Bureau building in Manila after the fire on
May 28, 2018. Photo by Eloisa Lopez/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The fire that hit 4
buildings in Binondo, Manila – including the
Land Management Bureau (LMB) and the
Juan Luna building that houses the National
Archives of the Philippines (NAP) – invite
suspicions of arson, a fire official said Monday
afternoon, May 28.
Chief Senior Inspector Reden Alumno, arson
chief of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)
Manila, said what made the fire “suspicious”
was it started past midnight, after the weekend,
and with 4 guards on duty.
“Arsonists usually operate during these
hours,” Alumno said.
The fire, which started at 12:36 am on Monday
at the Land Management Bureau building,
spread to the 150 Plaza Cervantes building, the
Moraga Mansion, and lastly to the Juan Luna
building, which houses the NAP.
In the on-site spot report on the fire incident,
the status of the fire was declared Task Force
Alpha at 1:13 am, Task Force Bravo at 1:30
am, and Task Force Charlie at 9 am.
Chief Inspector Crossib Cante of BFP-Manila
explained that these alarm statuses indicate the
number of firetrucks on the scene. Task Force
Charlie equates to 36 firetrucks, although
volunteer trucks arrived to help put out the
fire.
DENR looking into arson angle in Binondo
fire
'While we hope that this is not the case, arson
is a serious crime and the Land Management
Bureau fire significantly impacts Filipinos
who place premium value on land,' says
Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu
MANILA, Philippines – Department
of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR) Secretary Roy Cimatu ordered an
investigation amid reports that the fire that
burned down the Land Management Bureau
(LMB) building in Binondo, Manila, last
Monday, was intentional.
“While we hope that this is not the case, arson
is a serious crime and the LMB fire
significantly impacts Filipinos who place
premium value on land,” Cimatu said on
Wednesday, May 30.
The LMB is the agency responsible for
surveying and managing alienable and
disposable lands. It is also the agency
responsible for classifying the types of land,
and identifies which areas should be protected
and which can be developed.
The DENR reported that important documents
and some P100 million worth of
equipment had been reduced to ashes.
The National Bureau of Investigation and the
Manila Fire District are still investigating the
cause of the fire, which started at the upper
floors of the LMB.
Chief Senior Inspector Reden Alumno, arson
chief of the Bureau of Fire Protection Manila,
previously stated that the timing of the
fire invited suspicions of arson.
The LMB has set up a temporary help desk at
the DENR main office in Quezon City to
address land-related queries and concerns by
the public.
The LMB is also eyeing to relocate its other
offices to the DENR.
Fire engulfs houses, stalls in Zamboanga
City village
The Bureau of Fire Protection estimates that
50 commercial stalls and 15 houses were
gutted by the fire in Barangay Curuan,
Zamboanga City
CURUAN FIRE. Investigators continue to
look into the case of the fire that engulfed
several commercial stalls and houses in
Barangay Curuan, Zamboanga City, in the
evening of June 2, 2018. Contributed photo
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – A huge
fire engulfed several houses and commercial
stalls in a Zamboanga City village on Saturday
evening, June 2.
The investigator of the case, F02 Elvin
Ramirez, said the fire at Marketside, Barangay
Curuan, started at around 8:50 pm on
Saturday, and reached 4th alarm.

Several firetrucks coming from different

villages were sent to help control the fire,
which lasted for more than 3 hours.

The Bureau of Fire Protection estimated that

50 commercial stalls and 15 houses were
gutted by the fire.

ON FIRE. A fire hits a building under

Authorities are still investigating cause of the
construction at SM Megamall on June 28,
incident.
2018. Photo by Pocholo Felix

Fire hits warehouse, residences in Pasig

MANILA, Philippines (3rd UPDATE) – A fire
City
hit a building under construction at SM
Megamall in Mandaluyong City around 7:30
pm on Thursday, June 28. "Fire out" was
declared around 6 hours later, at 1:30 am on
Friday, June 29.

The Metropolitan Manila Development

Authority (MMDA) had announced in
a tweetat 8:16 pm on Thursday that the blaze
had already reached the 3rd alarm. This meant
that up to 9 fire trucks should be deployed.

The Mandaluyong City Disaster Risk

PASIG FIRE. The fire in Barangay Rosario,
Reduction and Management Office
Pasig City. Photo with permission from
(CDRRMO) then announced, also in a tweet,
@pacificnotions on Twitter
that the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)
Mandaluyong declared "fire out" as of 1:30
MANILA, Philippines – A fire hit a warehouse am.
and residential area at Jenny's Avenue,
Barangay Rosario in Pasig City on Tuesday
No one has been reported hurt, so far. It is still
evening, February 20. It is a fifth alarm fire,
unclear what caused the blaze.
according to Superintendent Arturo Marcos of
the Bureau of Fire Protection
SM Supermalls earlier said it was "taking all
precautionary measures to ensure the safety of
Fire hits building under construction at SM
everyone" in the mall complex.
Megamall

"Our Emergency Response Team together with

the Bureau of Fire Protection are already
managing the situation. Only a portion of the
mall is affected by smoke coming from the
site," added SM Supermalls.
The incident caused the temporary closure of
the EDSA-Shaw service road on the
northbound side, since it was reserved for fire
trucks and other emergency response vehicles.

The MMDA advised all vehicles to take the

Shaw tunnel instead.

Fire incidents down by half in Duterte's

first year – BFP

From almost 27,000 fires in the first half of

2016, the BFP recorded only over 13,000 in
The Bureau of Fire Protection of Zamboanga
the same period in 2017
City said in a report the fire originated from
the house of a certain "Jing."

The fire was reported around 4:16 pm and was

declared put out by 5:30 pm.

Fire ravages Isabela City, Basilan

The Bureau of Fire Protection - Isabela City

still has no exact number of houses destroyed.
An eyewitness says the no injuries and
casualties have been reported

MANILA, Philippines – Fire incidents halved

since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed
office, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)
announced on Wednesday, August 2.

In a video presentation shown during their

26th anniversary celebration, the BFP
announced fire incidents went down by 51%,
comparing data gathered from January to June
2016 to the same period this year.
According to data obtained by Rappler, the
BFP recorded 26,969 incidents in the first
semester of 2016 to 13,215 in the first
semester of 2017.
Fire razes 60 homes in Zamboanga City
Three people are reported missing as a result
of the fire
MANILA, Philippines - A fire ravaged an
urban area in Isabela City, Basilan on Monday,
August 24, leaving a still unknown number of
properties burned.
According to the Office of Civil Defense
(OCD) - Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao (ARMM), the fire started at around
5:30 PM in Barangay Fort Area. The fire
consumed mostly houses made of light
materials.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) - Isabela

City responded to the incident and declared a
fire out at around 7:30PM.
"No injuries or casualties have been reported.
The response was fast," Jamju Rivera, a
Rappler Mover who witnessed the incident,
said.

As of 8 PM, BFP-Isabela still has no exact

number of houses destroyed. Rivera said,
however, that some 3 houses and many shops
were burned to the ground.

"(The total) estimated damage is around

P500,000," Rivera, who works for the
provincial government, added.

The local BFP is still investigating the cause of

the incident. - David Lozada