No Damage, No Injuries: Mall shoppers rush to exits due to smell of burnt wire

CEBU – A fire alarm reportedly startled early Sunday afternoon shoppers at the Ayala Center Cebu yesterday.

As people hurried to the exits, security and Emergency Rescue Team personnel were immediately deployed to the area.

Fortunately, no one was hurt in the incident and there was no damage reported. 

The people started heading to the exits at around 2 p.m. when the smell of burning wire pervaded.

Clavet Tongco, head of Ayala Malls Group-Cebu, explained the incident through a text message sent to The FREEMAN.

“Workers were doing a welding job at cinema 5. Some of the sparks landed on insulation material. A bit of smoke from the contact escaped through the ventilation unit. There was no fire, there was no damage,” Tongco said.

Paramedics from Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation (ERUF) also got the site quickly.

Some of the people at the mall gave their first-hand account.

“Nagka-commotion jud, gipa-evacuate tanang tawo. Nangadto mi tanan sa gawas. Super baho ang smell, sakit sa ubol-ubol,” said Sherly Bayotas, one of the shoppers.

“Pagkahitabo ato, nag-announce sila (Ayala) ug partially close sa mga establishments, then 10 minutes after, gipa-siga ug balik ang mga suga,” Adelina Tillor said.

Tillor further said that three roving guards responded to the alarm, carrying with them fire extinguishers.

“Kanunay man jud pud na sila mag-roving diri sa mall,” Tillor, who works as a guard of one of the establishments, said.

Another shopper related his experience. “Basta kalit lang may baho tapos nagtika-kusog. Then ang mga tawo sa gawas, nag-anam-anam ug paspas ug lakaw. Nagtika-kusog lang gihapon ang baho tapos nanggawas na ang mga tindera then nang-gawas na jud tanan tawo sa mall,” said Efmer Agustin.

The mall was back to business about 20 minutes later after the responding teams found no danger for the people. — Niña Chrismae G. Sumacot/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)