Fire hits tire supply store

CEBU, Philippines - A fire hit a tire supply shop, triggering a thick smoke from sitio Lower Lumar, M.J. Cuenco Avenue, Barangay T. Padilla late yesterday afternoon.

Fire Marshall William Tacaldo, Jr. of the Cebu City Fire Department said they received the report at 5:54 p.m., raising a third alarm status and sending all available fire trucks in Metro Cebu to help. The fire was controlled in 20 minutes.

The fire hit the two-storey building owned by one Renato Arcenas which housed the tire shop and a tailoring shop.

Tacaldo said they have yet to determine what caused the fire and where it really started. The owner of Drex Tire Supply, Endre Reyes, 54, told them the fire started at Unisports tailoring shop above them.

However, Mildred Taraya, who works as a sewer of the tailoring shop, said she was still inside the shop with one companion when she noticed that the floor was in flames. She rushed to the ground to inform the owner of the tire shop but since it was already closed, she returned upstairs, took her things, and rushed outside the building with her fellow sewer.

While firefighters put out the fire, Reyes' staff hurriedly took a thousand tires from the shop and saved these from the fire. Luckily, the building had a fire wall that prevented the fire from spreading to the houses at the back.

The fire was also prevented from spreading to another tire shop beside it.

Tacaldo pegged the damaged at half million.

Apart from Jayden Bustamante, who had difficulty breathing because of the smoke, no one was hurt in the incident, said Tacaldo.

The fire marshall said they did not have any problem with the accessibility to the area as the burning structure was located along the national road although they had difficulty because of the thick smoke.

"Grabe kaayo ang aso," he said.

When asked for the availability of their equipment, Tacaldo said they actually have breathing apparatus but not enough for the number of fire personnel. They also needed chemical foams in penetrating smoky areas, and ladders so they can easily spray water on upper structures.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, who responded to the area, said there really is a need to upgrade the fire-fighting equipment of the city fire department. — (FREEMAN)