EDITORIAL - Time to re-block the urban areas

There should be drastic action by the Cebu City government regarding the series of fire incidents that hit many densely-populated areas, a move that should focus on the need to prevent massive property loss.

Because many areas in the city are heavily populated, there’s always a high chance of heavy damage to property and death once a fire erupts. In fact, the last two major fires in the city have each claimed one life.

The reason is that with narrow roads – and the absence of fire hydrants – leaving firefighters and rescue personnel having a hard time to respond, fire incidents in the city have always been costly and deadly.

And what is sad is the usual late response by the city government. You see, it is only after the incident that the local government would step in and implement a re-blocking of the area stricken by fire.

This should not always be the case. If the city really wants to save property and lives, re-blocking should be implemented as a strict precautionary measure not just after the fire. And it should even be made compulsory in areas with heavy population and are susceptible to fire.

Here’s what the city should do. It’s time for it to make a survey of urban barangays and immediately implement re-blocking – including installation of fire hydrants, among others – in heavily-populated areas as a preventive move against future fire incidents.

The city government needs to change its old practice of implementing re-blocking only after the fire. Such habit does not erase the fact that there is already damage caused by the fire, which could have been easily responded to if the area is already re-blocked.

Yes, any re-blocking is expected to encounter opposition from the residents themselves, especially those whose property will be affected. But all the city needs is strong political will if it wants the move to succeed.