Warehouse fire rages for 30 hours in Las Piñas

It took 26 fire trucks from all over Metro Manila some 30 hours to put out a fire that hit a warehouse in Las Piñas the other day. The blaze started at noon last Friday and lasted until yesterday morning.

In a report submitted to the Southern Fire District, Senior Fire Officer 4 Robert Nullan, arson investigator, said the fire at the Champion Warehouse located at 41 Canaynay Road, Barangay CAA, Phase 5, Las Piñas reached the Task Force Bravo and required assistance from fire departments and volunteers from nearby cities and municipalities.

Arson investigators estimated the damage to reach some P15 million. Nobody was reported hurt in the fire.

The Las Piñas Fire Department dispatched nine trucks which were joined by seven units from volunteers. Three trucks were provided by Parañaque City, two each from Fire District 4 and Fire District 2 and one unit each from the cities of Pasay, Makati and Muntinlupa.

The fire started at around 2:38 p.m. last Friday and was placed under control by 3:42 p.m. However, it took them until the following day to completely put out the fire at 10:40 a.m.

"It was difficult for us to totally put the fire out because the 800-square meter warehouse contained combustible materials like paints and thinners. The warehouse had been used as a repackaging area so there were several drums, and bottles of these materials," Nullan said.

"We had to place our fire trucks some 50 meters away from the fire scene especially when the drums filled with thinners, lacquers and paints began exploding. It sounded like a bomb exploding," he added.

Initial investigation showed the fire might have started at the refilling section of the warehouse.

"The fire might have been triggered by faulty electrical wiring because one of the workers said he saw a spark," Nullan said. – Evelyn Macairan