Fire incidents doubled in 2 months

CEBU, Philippines -  The number of fire incidents in Cebu province doubled in the first two months of 2014 compared to the same period last year.

According to a comparative report of the Bureau of Fire Protection in Region VII, a total of 181 fire incidents were recorded from January to February this year. The figure registered an increase of 105.86 percent from the 88 fire incidents reported in the same period of 2013.

Cebu province logged 114 fire incidents in the first two months of this year which is equal to 142.55 percent increase from the 47 fire incidents recorded in the same period of 2013.

Inspector Rodrigo Nayne, Regional Intelligence and Investigation Section Chief of BFP-7, said that most of the fire incidents recorded early this year are grass fires.

In Bohol, from 15 fire incidents reported in the first two months of 2013, the number rose to 25 incidents in the same period of this year, an increase of 66.66 percent.

Negros Oriental, on the other hand, registered an increase of 75 percent or 35 fire incidents from January to February 2014 from the 20 fire incidents reported in the same period of last year.

BFP-7 also reported that Siquijor had four fire incidents recorded in the first two months of this year from two fire incidents logged in the similar period of 2013.

Lapu-Lapu City had three and four fire incidents in the first two months of 2014 and 2013, respectively.

Meanwhile, a fire hit a house owned by Felix Corbeta in Sitio Bayabas, Barangay Punta Princesa, Cebu City yesterday morning.

FO3 Emiliano Daño, fire investigator, said that they received the alarm at 9:48 a.m. and had put out the fire at 9:54 a.m. The fire allegedly started by the fragments of welding in the area. The damage was estimated at P5,000.

It was the 19th fire incident reported in Cebu City within this Fire Prevention Month.

Fire authorities appealed to the public to cooperate and take heed of the campaign by the BFP-7 to help the government in fire prevention.

Cebu has so far recorded at least 18 fire alarms since March 1, mostly involving residential areas.

Negligence, according to BFP, is the most common reason involving household fires.

Inspector Eulalio Nuñez, BFP-Cebu City chief for fire safety enforcement division, said that community involvement is the core of their campaign that continues to be a challenge.

"We have done house-to-house campaign and provided them with fire safety tips but I personally observed the lack of participation in the community," Nuñez said.  (FREEMAN)