Fire that left 7 dead was accidental

The fire that razed a furniture warehouse in Mandaluyong City and left seven people dead Sunday was purely accidental, the local fire department said yesterday.

FO2 Victorino Tablay cleared Elizabeth Uy, the owner of FIC Furnitures Contractors Inc., of any culpability after an initial investigation showed the firm complied with the fire code, with proper fire exits, smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and a firewall that prevented the blaze from spreading toward a heavily populated shantytown.

Tablay said at least 20 surviving workers said there was a power outage before they realized a fire had broken out, and they smelled burning electrical wire prior to the fire.

He said the victims’ relatives declared they would not file any charges against Uy, who promised to shoulder the burial expenses of the victims.  – Non Alquitran