"It's purely accidental, caused by quake" – BFP

2017 Gaisano-Ormoc fire probe results

ORMOC CITY, Philippines — The fire on July 23 last year that gutted the city-owned building-occupied by Metro Gaisano-Ormoc-was "purely accidental in nature," said the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) central office, in a report submitted to Representative Lucy Torres-Gomez (Leyte, 4th district) this week, about the results of the fire investigation.

The report, dated 21 February 2018 or six months after the incident, added that the fire was caused by electrical ignition (known as short circuiting), due to the earthquake that struck and displaced around 2,000 house in the city on July 6.

The BFP said the mall operator, Taipan Development Inc. (TDI), reported a loss of P330,964,296.79, adding that "the stocks of the company and the building structure were not covered by any insurance."

The BFP report says that "founded on significant data," the cause of the fire is "electrical ignition (short circuiting) of the convenience outlet. As per investigation, the electrical malfunction was initiated by the earthquake event prior to the fire incident."

The report added: "The fortuitous event triggered the displacement of electrical components and frictions of wirings against each other or protruded metal edges at the flooring of the mezzanine floor where the convenient outlet was installed. This phenomena increased the risk on electrical fire and or/electrical short-circuit at connections and joints due to severed structural vibrations. The electrical ignition development into flame and ignited the readily combustible materials/stocks."

The report was signed by Chief Inspector Romeo Pepito Jr, chief of the Fire Arson Investigation Division, and noted by Chief Superintendent Felixberto Abrenica, director for Investigation and Intelligence.

The Ormoc City government officials also found out that, contrary to the provisions of their memorandum of agreement (MOA), TDI did not insure the building with the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). (FREEMAN)