BAGUIO Fire Department inspected recently boarding houses and dormitories along T. Alonzo Street in Baguio City with the expected influx of students next week for the opening of classes.
Baguio City Fire Marshall Richard Villanueva said the inspection was done to ensure that the boarding houses and dormitories the students will soon occupy meet the national fire safety standards.
He said the firemen in the city initially found out that some of the boarding houses and dormitories have inadequate fire exits, lack of first aid firefighting appliances, lack of emergency lights, no fire escape routes, and no evacuation plans in case of fire.
"There are many dormitories with narrow alleys where only one person [can pass] and these are not supposed to be since the fire code says alleys in dormitories should be at least one meter in width," Villanueva said.
He also advised real estate lessees to provide fire extinguishers in their establishments to immediately contain small fires.
"A good fire extinguisher would last three to five years, and once we discover that the dry chemicals in the fire extinguishers are no longer pressurized and are no longer capable of putting out fires, we recommend their immediately replacement by dormitory owners and building administrators," he said.
He said the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) is very strict nowadays in granting fire safety inspection certificates because some businesses, like boarding houses, seldom comply with its recommendations.
"We usually give business owners 15 days to comply with our recommendations and correct their violations or we will have them arrested for not complying," he said.
The Baguio Fire Department has also been closely coordinating with business groups to check if their members comply with fire safety standards.
Villanueva advised the students who will rent rooms in dormitories and boarding houses to always check the fire safety certifications of the establishment and know the direct fire escape routes.
With regard to schools, colleges and universities in the city, the Baguio fire department has been conducting fire drills to condition and prepare students for emergencies like fire.
Villanueva said that many of the schools in the city, whether public or private, have been religiously complying with these recommendations during inspections, enough for them to declare all schools safe from fires.
Since January, over 200 boarding houses and dormitories in Sumulong, Bonifacio, New Lucban and T. Alonzo were inspected by the Baguio Fire Department for compliance with fire safety standards.
Other boarding house near universities and colleges are also being inspected regularly to prevent deaths, injuries and loss of property due to fires.
Villanueva said the BFP would recommend closure of any establishment if the owners do not comply with their corrections and recommendations after inspection. (JM Agreda)