A FIRE that broke out at the Golden Fabrication Plant along Bangkal Diversion Road in Davao City caused an estimated P200,000 in damage, according to the Talomo Fire Station.
FO1 Mitchell Anton N. Calibo, the station's fire investigator, confirmed the estimated damage but reported that no injuries or fatalities occurred.
The fire started around 1:26 p.m. and was declared under control by 1:47 p.m.
Initial investigation suggests the blaze may have been triggered by sparks from acetylene torches used to cut steel beams. The flames reportedly reached nearby flammable materials such as open containers of paint and thinner.
“So far sa initial nga pag-imbestiga naay naga-acetylene, nagaputol og bakal, mga beams, mga dagko unya naay spark iyang gilid naay nag-file mga pintura, mga thinner, naay uban didtoa open, unya once nagakuan ka og bakal mag-spark mana (So far, during the initial investigation, we found that workers were cutting large steel beams using acetylene. Nearby were containers of paint and thinner—some of them open. Sparks from the cutting work may have ignited these materials),” Calibo said in a radio interview on DXDC 621 RMN Davao.
He added that the investigation remains ongoing.
This incident comes as the Bureau of Fire Protection–Davao City (BFP-Davao) reported a 6.3 percent increase in fire incidents in the city from January to February 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
According to Senior Inspector Frances Marie Sendrijas, spokesperson for the Davao City Fire District, 111 fire incidents were recorded early this year, up from 104 last year. The leading cause was electrical ignition from loose connections (21 cases), followed by other electrical faults (18 cases) and open flames from rubbish fires or bonfires (15 cases).
BFP-Davao currently has 450 personnel, 16 operational fire trucks, and five undergoing maintenance. Four new fire trucks are expected to be delivered later this year. RGP