SAN JOSE, Antique – Initial estimate of the damage left by a fire that gutted Gaisano Grand Mall here Thursday last week reached P833,137,500.
This valuation, however, only covers the burned edifice. Items inside the mall that went up in smoke are yet to be factored in, according to Fire Officer 3 Lee Altobar, arson investigator of the San Jose Municipal Fire Station.
They came up with the initial estimate based on the area of the first and second floors of the mall.
“Based sa gin-submit sang management, ara sa 16,662.75 square meters ang second floor and first floor,” Altobar told Panay News.
The management has yet to submit a report on the damaged commodities inside the mall.
FIRE-OUT FINALLY
A “fire out” was finally declared around 12:15 p.m. on Saturday (June 19) by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Region 6 after around 42 hours.
Altobar said personnel from the BFP central office are arriving today or Tuesday to conduct an investigation.
“Indi kami makasulod. Hulaton namon ang personnel from the central office nga amo ang ma-investigate kon ano ang ginhalinan sang sunog,” said Altobar.
He added: “Base sa amon pag-usisa nagsugod ang fire sa ceiling sang second floor sa ladies wear. Didto nahulog ang nagakasunog nga ceiling. Because combustible ang naka-display sa ladies wear section, madasig nga nagmakot ang kalayo kag nagdaku.”
‘NOT STRUCTURALLY SOUND’
San Jose’s Mayor Elmer Untaran is suggesting demolishing what remains of the mall.
“Kon ako magtan-aw dira i-demolish gid ang building kay indi ‘na structurally sound…Ambot lang kon ano ila recommendation pero dapat i-rebuild or i-demolish,” Untaran said in an interview with Panay News.
However, the mayor clarified he would leave future plans to the municipal building engineer and the BFP.
Untaran also thanked all the firefighters.
“We are very grateful sa aton mga firefighters, especially sa aton taga-San Jose kay wala gid ya ginhalinan ang Gaisano until gin-declare sang fire marshal nga fire-out na gid,” he added.
The mayor said around 33 fire trucks augmented.
APPEAL TO GAISANO MANAGEMENT
Meanwhile, Untaran is appealing to the mall management not to let go of regular employees displaced by the fire.
“Kon pwede sayluhon sa iban nila nga branches,” he said.
Untaran said he also discussed with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region 6 how they could help the more or less 300 affected workers.
For the part of the local government unit (LGU), Untaran said the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office started listing the affected workers who are San Jose residents. The LGU mulls extending aid under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).
To note, the provincial government of Antique already distributed P5,000 cash, one sack of rice and groceries to each affected worker.
Gov. Rhodora Cadiao also said the provincial government would help the workers find new jobs.
Every LGU to where the affected workers reside also started giving financial assistance.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT
The management of Gaisano Grand Mall also issued an official statement on June 18.
“In the afternoon of June 17, 2021, our Gaisano Grand Antique Branch unexpectedly caught fire. Thankfully the building was safely evacuated and no one was hurt. We are grateful to the BFP not only of San Jose but also neighboring towns and all over the province who came to help in putting out the fire,” part of the statement read.
It added: “We would like to express our profound appreciation to Mayor Elmer and his team, the traffic personnel, the police and the officials of the province of Antique. The community automatically came together to help. We cannot thank you enough.”/PN
