Fire destroys DPWH office

CEBU, Philippines - A fire destroyed the two-storey Cebu Fifth District Engineering Office of the Department of Public Works and Highways-7 along V. Sotto Street, Barangay Tinago, Cebu City last night.

The fire, which was reported around 6:37 pm, was raised to Task Force Alpha as firefighters from the neighboring cities helped the Cebu City fire personnel to contain it.

Insp. Jose Laurito, a fire investigator, said it took them 20 minutes to control the fire, which started at ceiling of the second floor.

The nearest establishment, DPWH-7’s Materials Quality Control and Hydrology Division, was spared by the fire.

Laurito said they are still assessing the damage and that investigation is still ongoing as to what really caused the incident.

But Ariel Flores, the duty guard of the establishment, believed that the old electrical wires in the ceiling triggered the fire.

Flores was manning his post near the gate when he noticed smoke emitting from the second floor.

Flores, who works from the 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. shift, said he was just done turning off all the circuit breakers of the air-conditioning units, which he usually does after all employees leave the office at 5 p.m.

About 15 minutes later, he noticed the smoke, which prompted him to rush inside the office.

He noticed the smoke coming from the ceiling of the 40-year-old building, which was made of light materials.

“Pagsaka nako kay aso na man kaayo, nagdali-dali ko og naog ug akong gi-switch off ang main line,” Flores narrated.

He returned to get a fire extinguisher but smoke already filled the second floor.

He rushed downstairs and sought help from the nearby Cebu City District Engineering Office, whose personnel then called for assistance from the Cebu City Fire Department.

As the first responding firemen arrived, the fire started engulfing the whole building, the guard said.

Laurito said they had no problem accessing the fire scene but were delayed by the heavy traffic caused by the fire.

Policemen cordoned the area, which allowed more fire trucks to quickly reach the area.

Yusoph Rasuman, the officer-in-charge district engineer, said they were not able to save anything from the office, which contained documents.

“Wala g’yud ta’y na-pullout. Bisan usa ka-papel, wala g’yud. Maapektahan g’yud atong operation ani,” said Rasuman, who also responded to the area.

He said the building was built in the 1970s.

Rasuman said the office had five sections, excluding the Commission on Audit (COA) office at the ground floor and the office of the Bids and Awards Committees (BAC).

Among the important documents gutted at the BAC office was the P72-million worth road asphalting project from Liloan to Borbon town in 2013, which is supposed to open for bidding on Oct. 7.

“Dili na g’yud na madayon,” Rasuman said.

Rasuman said he will report the incident to their regional office today.  — /LPM (FREEMAN)