Short-circuit caused NCCC mall fire — BFP

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The Anti-Arson Task Force has ruled out arson as the cause of the NCCC Mall fire that killed at least 38 call center workers last month.

Investigators said the fire started from a short-circuit in the ceiling between the fabric and furniture sections of the mall’s third level.

They also ruled that the mall management failed to comply with the Bureau of Fire Protection requirement to install an automatic fire suppression system in the building after it was found that no sprinkler functioned when the incident happened.

Authorities said the remains of the 38th fire victim, Alexandra Moreno, was found yesterday among the debris.

Moreno’s mother identified her through the recovered key chain and eyeglasses.

At least 38 employees of Survey Sampling International (SSI), a call center operating at the mall’s fourth level, died after they were trapped.

The task force has recommended the relief of several fire officials – including city fire marshal Honey Fritz Alagano, Inspector Renero Jimenez, Senior Fire Officers 1 Leo Lauzon and Roger Dumag, and FO2 Joel Quizmundo – effective Dec. 31.

The five were reportedly responsible for issuing fire permits even if the NCCC Mall failed to comply with the necessary requirements.

“There was no water, not even a sprinkler head. Without a sprinkler head, the sprinkler system will not function,” Superintendent Jerry Candido said during a telephone interview with reporters on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the fourth floor of the mall that was leased to SSI had its sprinkler system intact.

But, Candido said they found out that the system was outside the structure of SSI.

“What we know know so far: The fire started in a short- circuit at the ceiling portion of the alley at the third level of the mall.

The task force will resume its meeting on Jan. 4 to continue with the probe.

 Auto alarm turned off

Every floor had a control valve for its sprinkler system, but it was turned off, Candido said, as the third floor was undergoing repairs when the fire happened.

Meanwhile, the control valve at the fourth level had long been turned off as SSI was occupying the floor.

“If you fiddle with the floor control valve, the alarm will sound automatically. That is why they overrode it. The mall’s alarm system was not automatic anymore because the floor control valves were closed,” he said.

“So, although the mall had an alarm system, it was manual. You must pull down the alarm switch before you can sound the alarm,” he stressed.

However, since there was no connection between the alarm system at the fourth level and the mall’s alarm system, the fire alarm was not heard at the workplace where victims of the fire were found dead.

“That is really a violation,” said Candido.

The exits of the building were also found to be not smoke and heat-proof. Investigators saw exits have several “openings” which Candido said would allow smoke and heat to pass through easily.

“The law requires that fire exits are protected. How can you use the exits if the smoke and heat got in first before the person?” he said.

Clearly, he added, the fire exits were cut off by the heat and smoke, which some of the fire survivors reported they were unable to use during the incident.