By Rjay Zuriaga Castor
The Iloilo City government has urged residents to inspect and secure their electrical connections to prevent fire incidents, especially with rising temperatures this March.
Mayor Jerry Treñas advised households to schedule inspections, particularly for older residences, where weakened structural foundations make them more vulnerable to fires.
“To the public, especially now that the temperature is hot […] please have your electrical connections checked, especially in older houses. We do not know the current condition of our electrical connections,” he said.
He also stressed that overloaded sockets and loose electrical connections remain leading causes of fires, prompting the need for proactive safety measures.
Treñas issued the warning following a tragic fire that claimed the lives of a family of three, including their seven-year-old daughter, in Barangay Infante, Molo, early on March 8.
Authorities believe the victims were unable to escape due to steel matting on their windows.
The fire completely destroyed two houses and partially damaged another, causing an estimated PHP270,000 in damages.
“I am really saddened by the incident. I always say that in a fire incident, there should be zero casualties, and now, we have three fatalities,” Treñas said.
He also urged residents with steel-matted homes to install accessible fire exits as an added safety precaution.
The Iloilo City Fire Station confirmed that the fire was electrical in nature.
It also reported that fire-related fatalities in the city have now reached four this year.
Most fires occur in residential areas, with electrical faults being the primary cause, according to the Iloilo City Fire Station.
