Fire hazard public market up for demolition



A PORTION of the Baguio City Market considered as fire hazard is up for demolition within the first quarter of this year coinciding with the soon to be implemented market rehabilitation of the city.

In the weekly Talakayan sa a Environment Code radio forum of the Baguio Regreening Movement (BRM), council committee chairman on public works Mylen Yaranon explained the scheduled demolition.

“I believe we have given the vendors there more time and I think the demolition would commence within this first quarter and I hope this would start this month,” Yaranon said.

Then Mayor Mauricio Domogan ordered the reevaluation of the old Dimalanta Building at the city market along Magsaysay Avenue to assess its present structural and fire safety conditions.

The Baguio Fire Department and the City Building and Architecture Office (CBAO) formed a team which conducted the inspection that determined the extent of compliance of the tenants to an earlier agreement with the city to adopt remedial measures to make the building compliant with the structural and fire safety requirements despite its decrepit state to ensure the safety of both the stall owners and market goers.

In 2010, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) declared the over 50-year old building as fire hazard due to violations of the National Building Code and fire safety law.

BFP and the Baguio City Market Authority at that time have even recommended the closure of the edifice due to the gravity of the defects found.

The city government however agreed to allow the tenants to continue operating on condition that they will institute remedial measures to make it safe for the occupants and their clientele.

BRM Chairman Erdolfo Balajadia reiterated the need for rehabilitation to avoid fire in the area.

“If the demolition will not be done, city officials will be liable for any eventuality that may occur in that part of the city market criminally and even civilly. Despite of their resistance, this move is for everyone’s welfare so let us not prolong this and let the city undergo with the demolition of these fire hazards at the city market,” Balajadia said.

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