A FIRE broke out at the Cagayan de Oro City Electric and Power Light Company (Cepalco) compound in Barangay Puntod shortly before the power firm turned on electricity after a five-hour blackout Sunday afternoon.

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The conflagration at Cepalco’s engineering complex in Julio Pacaña St. damaged an electric transformer but did not spread throughout the building because firefighters immediately arrived to contain the fire. No one was injured.

Employees said the fire started at the compound’s ETR (electric transformer room)-- laboratory and storage space where transformers are tested before being installed in transmission lines -- around 4 p.m.

Cepalco’s compound in Barangay Puntod houses the power company’s Feeder 1, which controls the flow of electricity in barangays Puntod, Lapasan and Macabalan and other urban barangays in District 2.

“Smoke began to rise at the ETR room minutes before the power was turned on,” an employee said. He requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter.

It was not known whether the fire was triggered with the return of power in the Puntod power facility.

The Cepalco employee said it may have been caused by a short circuit or circuit failure.

However, SFO1 Jerwin Marcojos of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said they are still investigating the incident. He was also unable to estimate the damages.

Cepalco turned off power in selected areas in the city around 11 a.m. Sunday as a precautionary measure for flashfloods that hit several villages.

For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pampanga.

(January 11, 2009 issue)
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