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Sunday, November 28, 2004
BFP to check Metro malls' fire safety gadgets
UPON instruction of Interior Secretary Angelo Reyes, DILG Undersecretary Marius Corpus said Saturday he has directed the Metro Manila Fire Department to coordinate with appropriate local government units to ensure compliance with the fire safety requirements of the shopping malls in the metropolis.
Among the shopping malls ordered to be checked are SM Cubao, SM North Edsa, SM Fairview, all situated in Quezon City; and SM Centerpoint in Sta. Mesa, Manila.
Corpus also asked Bureau of Fire Protection-National Capital Region (BFP-NCR) Director Danilo Cabrera to make sure that other shopping malls and building/establishments are safe from fire in view of the onset of the Yuletide season.
He ordered Cabrera to supervise the inspection being conducted by the City and Municipal Fire Offices on various buildings/establishments.
"Let's make sure that all malls are safe for shoppers this holiday season. This must be given priority as earlier ordered by DILG Secretary Angelo Reyes. The safety of shoppers must be guaranteed at all times," Corpus told the BFP-NCR chief.
Inspection reports made by the Metro Manila Fire Department show that the four shopping malls were found to have violated fire safety standards being implemented by the BFP.
Violations discovered in SM Cubao include some automatic emergency lights installed at the storage area defective, fire hose cabinet are obstructed, has insufficient emergency lights, no luminous exit sign, no posting of evacuation plan, no AC/DC light exit, no panic hardware lock device, no secondary exit door, no smoke heat and detection system, and no fire prevention seminar and fire drills conducted.
It is also ordered to relocate LPG tanks outside the building.
SM North Edsa was found having inadequate fire alarm, LPG tanks were inside the main building, not conducting regular quarterly fire and earthquake drill and seminar, and not paying annual Fire Safety Insurance Certificate (FSIC) fee.
Insufficient number of exits was discovered in SM Fairview. Its LPG tanks were also inside the building.
Deficiencies found in SM Centerpoint were inadequate first aid firefighting appliances, emergency lights, luminous directional and exit signs, and fire exit route plan; no alternate exit at sixth and fourth floor, no fire alarm signaling device, no fire alarm at storage area.
The mall was also with fire exit door at fourth floor not swinging to exit travel and LPG cylinders installed inside the building.
Cabrera, for his part, said they have given the four SM shopping malls certain period to correct violations or deficiencies found in their premises, and failing to fix these will force them to impose appropriate sanctions against them.
He said he had instructed those concerned fire offices not to stop re-inspecting until these shopping malls comply with the fire safety rules.
The BFP-NCR chief also ordered other city and municipal fire offices in Metro Manila to do the same thing on establishments situated in their respective areas.(Jonathan F. Fernandez)
(November 28, 2004 issue)
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