By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD CITY – The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-6 is investigating faulty electrical connections as the possible cause of the fire that destroyed 31 stalls at Bacolod Central Market in Barangay 12 early Friday.
Fire Chief Inspector Erwin Johannes Gimotea, chief of the BFP-6 Intelligence and Investigation Section Operations Division, said Saturday that they gathered pieces of evidence from the scene and completed clearing operations to ensure the safety of vendors and consumers.
Gimotea said their initial analysis indicated that the fire began in the ceiling, where electrical wires are connected.
“There could be unsupervised wire taps,” he said, noting that the evidence has been sent to the BFP laboratory in Manila for further examination.
The fire reportedly started at an eatery before spreading to nearby stalls.
Eighteen stalls were completely destroyed, while 13 others sustained partial damage.
The BFP considers the Bacolod Central Market fire-prone due to its age and condition.
Gimotea urged regular inspections of the market’s structural integrity and stressed the need for tenants to follow fire safety protocols, particularly for electrical connections.
He noted that while the market’s roof had been repaired, the main structure has remained largely unchanged since its construction in the 1940s.
The fire, which began at 2:50 a.m., caused an estimated PHP 4.7 million in damages and affected 396 square meters of the market area.
The blaze damaged tailoring shops, sari-sari stores, jewelry shops, eateries, and other businesses, according to BFP-Bacolod.
Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez assured affected vendors of financial assistance and temporary relocation to allow them to continue their business operations.
This support will remain in place while the city government assesses the structural condition of the market.
