IT MIGHT take two days for firefighters to control the blaze that hit Metro Ayala Center Cebu Friday evening, an official said.
Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office Chief Nagiel Bañacia said that as of 3 a.m. Saturday, firefighters who managed to enter the mall's building are still working hard to stop the fire from spreading to the main mall area.
The blaze started at the toys stockroom in the third floor of the Metro Ayala department store around 9:30 p.m. Friday, January 5, said the Metro Gaisano management in a statement. The Bureau of Fire Protection raised the alert level to Task Force Alpha, which means fire trucks from nearby cities have to respond.
As of 3 a.m. Saturday, the fourth floor of the Metro Ayala building has collapsed, said Bañacia.
He said that heat from the fire inside is making the building brittle, and authorities are afraid the structure might collapse.
With this, authorities have extended the cordon area for the public's safety.
No one was trapped inside the building, as customers and personnel were safely evacuated Friday night, said the mall management. (With reports from Johanna Marie Bajenting/SunStar Philippines)