THIS is no ordinary fire.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) 7 said that the flames that have engulfed the Metro Ayala Department Store since last Friday night may take two to three days to control.
“We cannot penetrate because the area is already zero visibility and we have difficulty getting inside because of the extreme heat,” said Supt. Rolando Orbeta, BFP 7 assistant director on fire operations.
Thick haze has blanketed the Cebu Business Park as firefighters continue to let the fire and smoke out of the building.
“The method is called ventilation, which allows the fire and smoke to come out of confinement that gives our firemen the opportunity to shoot water from the outside. No firemen are deployed inside as the temperature in the mall can already melt safety gears like boots and breathing apparatus due to the extreme heat,” Orbeta said.
The BFP 7 said that it received the alarm at 9:44 p.m. last Friday, just as the mall was closing.
Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CCDRRMO) Chief Nagiel Bañacia said that as of 6 p.m. yesterday, firefighters managed to enter the building, working hard to prevent the fire from spreading to the main mall area.
The blaze started at the toys stockroom on the third floor of the Metro Ayala department store around 9:30 p.m., said the Metro Gaisano management.
The BFP 7 raised the alert level to Task Force Alpha, which means fire trucks from nearby cities had to respond.
At 3 a.m. yesterday, the fourth floor of the department store collapsed, Bañacia said.
A few minutes later, firemen made use of an aerial fire ladder, and bore holes in the establishment.
He said the heat inside is making the building brittle, and authorities are afraid the structure might collapse.
This prompted authorities to extend the cordoned area for the public’s safety and closed the entrance of the Cebu Business Park.
No one was trapped inside the building, as customers and personnel were safely evacuated when the fire was detected, said the mall management.
Orbeta said that they didn’t have any problems with the water supply, but admitted that they need more breathing apparatuses.
Contained
He said that they were able to contain the fire yesterday morning, and assured that the flames won’t spread to the rest of the mall.
The fire was declared Task Force Bravo at 8:45 a.m., which tasked all fire stations in the cities and municipalities to respond.
The CCDRRMO also released a haze alert, advising residents in nearby barangays with pulmonary and cardiovascular illnesses to evacuate.
A jackhammer operator and driver, who helped bore holes in the wall, were arrested after they were caught allegedly stealing a pair of shoes worth P4,000.
At 9 p.m. Saturday, the fire had started to destroy the columns of the building’s facade.
Golden Prince Hotel and other establishments near the scene are taking measures to counter the haze from the fire.
Aaron Que, the hotel’s corporate communications manager, said they closed all their windows and placed industrial fans throughout the hotel to make breathing easy for guests and personnel at around 11 p.m. last Friday. They also distributed free masks.
The management of Perpetual Succour, the hospital nearest to the fire scene, also activated counter-measures to protect patients from the haze.
It locked windows and distributed masks to personnel. It also placed industrial fans in non-airconditioned areas to blow the smoke away.
The hospital has not yet received any reports of patients complaining about the haze.
In a statement sent yesterday, Metro Retail Stores Group Inc. (MRSGI), the company behind Metro Ayala, said they worked closely with the BFP 7 other emergency responders to manage the situation.
It reported that all customers and personnel were safely evacuated and there were no reported injuries or casualties.
“The management of Metro Gaisano would like to thank everyone, the firefighters, the volunteers, the government personnel, its employees, concerned citizens, and all those who have helped and assisted in putting off the fire,” said Atty. Vincent Tomaneng, corporate secretary and chief legal counsel of MRSGI.
Priorities
The company official also promised to take care of the employees affected by the incident.
“We will take care of them and will make the necessary arrangements in due time,” said Tomaneng.
Ayala-subsidiary Cebu Holdings Inc. (CHI), the developer of Ayala Center Cebu, in a statement said they’re closely monitoring the progress of the fire.
“Safety remains a top priority. All customers and personnel were safely evacuated, and the mall is closed today (Jan. 6) while the fire is being managed. We are coordinating with our other merchants on their operational concerns,” said the CHI. “We are requesting for your understanding.”
Some Ayala Center Cebu merchants took to social media to announce the temporary closure of their stores and postponement of sales activities yesterday.
Rustan’s Cebu announced on its Facebook account that it was postponing its “End of Season Sale” due to the fire until further notice.