BFP still investigating cause of fire

THE Bacolod City Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) is still conducting a thorough investigation to determine the cause of fire that hit the Java Pension House, a former Bascon Hotel, on Gonzaga-Locsin Streets.

The fire killed six people, including a minor, on Tuesday morning, November 26.

City Fire Marshal Publio Ploteña said the cause of fire that started at the ground floor has not yet been determined.

Ploteña said they are also looking into the possibility of arson based on the statements of the witnesses who allegedly saw unidentified men torch a helmet at the floor.

"It's only an allegation and we will conduct a thorough investigation on that claim. But for now, we cannot conclude yet the cause of fire," he added.

The fatalities were identified as Christopher Java, the owner of the pension house; Miguel, Java's 12-year-old; Magdalena, Java's 73-year-old mother; Ronalyn Dacallo, 43, Miguel's nanny; and Arnold Felomino, 58, pension house front desk officer.

The man, who is in early 50s, was found in the roofdeck and is still unidentified. Four persons were also injured.

Ploteña said the pension house owner and his family members were trapped in their rooms at the second floor and might have died due to suffocation.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia also held a meeting with the BFP, Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), and Office of the Building Office (OBO) at the Bacolod Government Center on Wednesday afternoon, November 27, to discuss the incident.

"We should conduct a thorough investigation of this because we are talking about the situation of the downtown area. We want to know the situation before the fire incident," Leonardia said.

He added he was informed that there was an incident that happened in the ground floor before the fire occurred and that it should be investigated.

The mayor noted that he has a sentimental attachment with the former Bascon Hotel building because during the early days of the tourism industry, it was one of the pillars of tourism industry in Bacolod.

"Let's take this as a lesson for all of us that we should review the fire drill and evacuation plans of the buildings so that it should become habit, something that is supposed to be standard operating procedures (SOP) and automatic," Leonardia said.

He said he already directed Ploteña to revisit the implementation of the rules of engagement so that if fire occurs they already know what to do.

The mayor said the BFP should have a copy of the evacuation plan of every building in Bacolod so that they will be prepared.

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