Thursday, December 28, 2006 Editorial: Fires and negligence
CHRISTMAS and New Year, or the season covering these two days, should not only be the concern of the Department of Health (DOH) but also of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
This point was shown in the fires that hit Ormoc City and the Cebu Provincial Capitol compound recently.
Firecrackers not only maim the careless they also cause fire, thus the same vigilance exercised by DOH officials during Christmas and the New Year should also have been practiced by those in the BFP, PNP, even local government units.
Rules
In fairness to the BFP, the police and Ormoc City officials, they did come up with rules on the sale of pyrotechnics, including the designation of safe display areas.
Apparently, the same rules were in place even in Cebu and elsewhere, but like many other government policies the problem was in the implementation.
Somehow, firecrackers ended up displayed in the vicinity of the crowded Unitop store in Ormoc, exploded and caused a fire that trapped a number of people inside the establishment, killing 26 of them and injuring many others on Christmas Day.
Negligence
That exposed another failing: while the single-level store had a fire exit, it was locked---an act that would have been prevented had the BFP inspected the safety of structures frequented by many people.
Another instance of negligence, if BFP 7 deputy regional director for operations Aderson Comar were to be believed, was noted in the fire that hit six Capitol buildings the other day.
The BFP 7 official claimed that Cebu City Fire Marshal Ismael Codilla left the firefighting to his subordinates after declaring the fire under control, thus the failure to prevent the spread of the blaze to another building.
Incompetence
Comar may have hidden motives for making the accusation, but an investigation should be conducted by the BFP considering the gravity of the allegation.
This even as BFP officials, the police and officials of local government units are busy inspecting establishments selling firecrackers in the aftermath of the Ormoc tragedy.
But actions done after tragic incidents occur are nothing but products of hindsight and do not merit a pat on the back---instead, one can consider these a sign of incompetence and lack of foresight.
