BACOLOD City – The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Bacolod City is ramping up its efforts to raise fire prevention awareness following the recent Central Market fire that affected around 50 vendors.
The city’s firefighters led by City Fire Marshal Supt. Jenny Mae Masip will conduct fire safety inspections to the city’s three major public markets – Burgos, Central and Libertad markets.
“This [inspection] is to prevent future fire incidents from happening again in the government’s three markets. Kay isa siguro wala gid natutukan ang fire safety sang public markets,” said Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez.
However, Masip said they have yet to schedule the fire safety inspections due to the holiday season.
“Effective December 15 until January 5 of next year, the bureau is prohibited to conduct fire safety inspections following the issuance of memorandum circular from the BFP regional office,” she said. “We are now on red alert status due to the yuletide season.”
Despite this, Masip said she will still coordinate with the regional office regarding the inspection of public markets.
To recall, around 50 vendors were displaced in a 30-minute fire that gutted a part of the Central Market on Bonifacio Street, Barangay 12.
BFP-Bacolod City received a fire call at 2:50 a.m. on Dec. 13 and firefighters were able to stop the blaze from spreading at 3:20 a.m.
Masip yesterday said that investigation team from the BFP Region 6 was in the city over the weekend to further assist in the probe. It was found out that the said fire was electrical in nature.
She said 18 stalls were destroyed and 12 others were damaged. She added that another 12 stalls were affected because of the board up being implemented by the City Engineering Office./PN
