By Felipe V Celino
ROXAS CITY, Capiz – In the early hours of April 1, a devastating fire in Barangay Lawa-an here resulted in the loss of approximately P1 million worth of property.
The blaze consumed a commercial building owned by Napoleon and Warlita Pagulong.
SFO1 Reynold Agda, the arson investigator with the Roxas City Fire Station, cited a faulty electrical line as the possible cause of the fire that entirely engulfed the building.
“Prior to the incident, the building’s caretaker reported a power failure, and shortly thereafter, the fire broke out,” explained Agda.
In a stroke of fortune, individuals inside the building at the time were able to flee before the situation worsened.
“There were some persons sleeping inside the commercial building that managed to escape before the conflagration was getting worse,” Agda reported.
The building, comprising four stalls constructed from a combination of materials, was completely destroyed. However, due to the presence of firewalls, the flames did not spread to neighboring houses.
Investigation into the exact cause of the fire is ongoing, with samples currently under examination by the Bureau of Fire Protection to ascertain if the fault was indeed electrical.
Agda took the opportunity to reiterate essential fire safety measures to the public, stressing the importance of extinguishing trash fires properly, ensuring LPG tanks are securely closed after use, disconnecting electrical connections, and extinguishing any candles or lamps before retiring for the night.
“We always kept on reminding the public of the fire safety tips to prevent from being victimized by fire,” Agda emphasized, underscoring the commitment of the fire department to community safety and awareness.
