Electricity misuse caused Cogon-Pardo fire - BFP

Electricity misuse was the cause of fire that killed seven members of a Chinese family who were trapped inside their burning house at the factory compound in barangay Cogon-Pardo Sunday dawn.

Cebu City fire marshall Esmael Codilla made this statement yesterday, based on the findings of fire investigators at the gutted house and Eastern Enterprises, a noodle and ice cream factory, that the victims owned.

The house was already old and there were a lot of extension wires linked to many appliances, Codilla said about the electrical connection set-up that he described as a form of electricity misuse.

Investigators also found out that the computers there were attached to extension wires and were apparently used for extended hours.

Besides these findings, Codilla said the probe does not stop there and would still look into arson as another possible cause of the fire.

Codilla said there has been no additional data that might link the case to arson but they received raw information from a surviving family member that someone could have started the fire. This is however still to be verified, he said.

Investigators further disclosed yesterday that Eastern Enterprises failed to renew its business permit for two consecutive years, 2005 and 2006.

Codilla said that one of the requirements in business permit renewal is a fire safety inspection permit from the Bureau of Fire Protection.

Codilla said his men SFO3 Vic Gayrama and FO3 Gerry Ababon conducted an electrical inspection and recommended for a regular check of the electrical wiring in Eastern Enterprises.

Eastern Enterprises however failed to secure permit from the BFP and renew its business permit for two straight years.

The seven fatalities in the fire include the family matriarch, 70-year-old Chai Eng-eng Chua, her daughter Helen Que, 44 and two grandchildren Karen Que, 15, and Kenneth Que Jr, 10.

Chua's three other grandchildren died with her while they embraced one another inside a comfort room. They were Ada Marie Chua, 16, Arvin Chua, 13, and Arjohn Chua, 12. - Flor Z. Perolina/RAE