ILOILO City – Four personnel from the national office of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) started investigating the fire that ravaged Gaisano Grand Mall in San Jose, Antique last month.
The team composed of Fire Superintendent Romeo Pepito Jr. (team leader), Fire Superintendent Anthony Figurasin, and senior fire officers Reward Abucay and Renato Molina Jr. have been in the area since June 29, according to BFP-6 director, Fire Senior Superintendent Jerry Candido.
How’s the investigation going?
Nothing much could be ascertained so far, Candido told Panay News. “We have to give them enough time. The probe may last for one week.”
Candido said personnel of BFP-6 have also been deployed to the area.
“It might be defective wiring, but we have to wait for their final findings,” he added.
The investigation team is expected to determine the cause of fire and the total damage that included the burnt commodities inside the mall, he added.
The damage on the building alone reached to P833,137,500, based on BFP-6’s initial investigation.
On June 17, at around 5:40 p.m., fire broke out at the Ladies’ Wear section of the second floor.
It took 42 hours for firefighters to declare a “fire out”.
“The building was safely evacuated and no one was hurt,” the mall’s management announced.
About 400 employees received assistance from the Antique provincial government. They received sacks of rice, goods and P5,000 cash each./PN
