In Iloilo City fire, blast raze reg’l police offices

ILOILO CITY, Philippines  â€” Millions worth of firearm and police equipment were destroyed in yesterday’s dawn fire and explosion that destroyed several offices inside Camp Martin Delgado, home of the Police Regional Office-6 headquarters, and injured a police official.

The fire that broke out at around 2:30 a.m. damaged seven police cars, hundreds of firearms, musical instruments, office equipment and even the sleeping quarters and personal belongings of the policemen.

Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz, Jr., PRO-6 director, said they were awakened when a loud explosion were heard all over the place following the fire.

Initial investigation showed that the conflagration started at the Office of the Explosive Ordnance Division (EOD) of the Army Support Command (ASCom). It quickly engulfed offices of the PRO-6 Engineering Division, the Firearms and Explosives Unit (FEU), Security Agencies and Guards Unit (SAGU), PRO-6 Band and the Civil Security Group Satellite Office-6.

Cruz estimated the damage to have reached millions because more than 500 high-powered and low-powered guns under the FEU custody which were either confiscated, recovered, and for safekeeping were rendered unserviceable.

“Our personnel who underwent fire drill immediately responded but we could not go near the site because of the explosion. May mga 81mm mortar pa na sumabog,” he said, adding that the blast was likely caused by explosives kept at EOD office.

By 4 a.m., after an intermittent response of firemen and volunteers, the fire was put off. Due to the explosion, shrapnel of explosives also damaged the Regional Logistics and Research Development Division, the Retirement and Benefits Administration Service, the Communication Electronic System of the Armed Forces of the Philipines, the Regional Logistics and Research Development Division, the Regional Police Community Relations Division, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, the Pre-School and Learning Center, the motor pool, and the community toilet in front of the PRO-6 Gym.

The lone victim of the fire was Sr. Insp. Noel Frias, chief of EOD-ASCom, who suffered 2nd degree burn on almost 60 percent of his body.  He is now confined in a hospital in Iloilo City. Frias, who also slept in the EOD office, was injured after he tried to put off the fire, said Cruz.

Cruz already ordered an investigation on the cause of fire. Part of the probe will check on the liability of any person whose negligence may have caused the fire. He said explosives and similar ordnance should be kept in isolated areas and not in populated areas.

“Prudence would tell us that bombs and other explosives should be kept only in remote camps and magazines to avoid damages like this one,” the top police official said.  (FREEMAN)