DILG, Echiverri order mall fire probe

MANILA, Philippines - Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo ordered yesterday the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to conduct a thorough investigation of the fire that started at the Ever Gotesco Grand Central mall Friday night.

Mayor Enrico Echiverri also ordered the local BFP to investigate whether the mall was torched since its owners still owe the city government back taxes.

Though the blaze has been put under control as of 11:50 p.m. Saturday, city fire chief Superintendent Oscar de Asis has yet to declare that the flames have been put out as of 7:30 p.m. yesterday. Firefighters said there are still pockets of fire at the mall’s top floor.

“The entire building was razed. Only its façade remains safe from fire,” he said.

Chief Superintendent Carlito Romero, BFP director for plans and standards development, told The STAR that Robredo “would like to find out the cause of the fire… and why the blaze lasted for more than one day.”

Robredo personally gave the instruction to Romero during the launch of the Race for Raze, a fund-raising program of the BFP meant to support firemen injured while in the performance of their duty.

According to initial reports, the fire broke out at around 10 p.m. Friday in a shoe store at the mall’s ground floor. The mall was already closed for the day.

When firefighters tried to enter the mall, security personnel prevented them from going into the building, allowing the blaze to spread throughout the building’s four stories, which housed more than 100 shops.

Large malls and commercial establishments usually have standing orders for security personnel not to let outsiders enter the premises during a fire, earthquake and other disasters to prevent accidents or looting.

Reports have it that 17 firefighters, including nine volunteers, were injured in the incident.

Romero told The STAR that a special team from the BFP will handle the investigation, supervised by Chief Superintendent Fennimore Jaudian of the BFP Inter-Agency Task Force.

He said investigators would also evaluate the mall’s water sprinklers and the fire exits, since firemen had difficulty accessing the fire exits during the blaze.

Romero said the DILG secretary instructed the firemen to look into reports that Friday’s fire was not the first time. A fire that broke out in the mall in October 1990 lasted for nearly three days – about 52 hours – with damage pegged at P500 million. Cleanup operations lasted about a week.

 Arson?

Echiverri said a thorough investigation is needed, “given the fact that the firefighters needed a extensive amount of time to subdue the blaze.” He noted that nearly all of Metro Manila’s firefighting units responded.

He said it is possible that the fire could be a case of arson. According to the city government’s records, Jose Go of Gotesco Investment Inc. owes P722.3 million in realty taxes over 23 years.

City fire marshal Superintendent Oscar de Asis said initial findings do not point to arson. He asked the public to be patient until the results of the investigation are released.

Echiverri said he also wants the DILG to look into the possibility that the fire was set so the mall’s owners could escape paying taxes. Mall officials could not be reached for comment.

While firefighters battled the blaze, hundreds of mall employees and stall owners gathered in front of the mall, hoping they would be allowed to enter the building and salvage some of their belongings. They said the fire affected at least 15,000 mall workers.

“It’s not safe for them to enter the building… They could only enter once the fire is totally put out,” De Asis said.

Al Sta. Maria, city public safety and traffic management chief, said Echiverri directed city government building personnel to check the integrity of buildings adjacent to the mall.– With Pete Laude