Valenzuela fire à la Kentex; firm lacking permits

It was almost another Kentex.

Another industrial inferno broke out in Valenzuela City on Friday, again reportedly caused by welding works and involving a manufacturing company that lacked government permits. One person who had escaped the blaze died of a heart attack in the hospital, authorities said.

A two-hour fire destroyed a textile warehouse in Barangay Ugong, the same village where the May 13 Kentex slipper factory fire claimed 74 lives and supposedly heightened safety concerns in the city which hosts many manufacturing plants.

Like in the deadly Kentex blaze, a welding job apparently lacking safety nets triggered the fire at 11:37 a.m. at the structure owned by the company Larry’s Textile.

Based on initial reports, welding sparks from the neighboring factory also run by Larry’s Textile reportedly got into contact with a highly flammable spot at the warehouse on Kabatuhan Street.

At least one person, a factory supervisor, was inside the warehouse when the flames spread and was able to flee with no visible injuries.

However, the supervisor identified as Nestor Crisostomo had to be brought to the hospital after suffering a heart attack. Crisostomo was pronounced dead on arrival, according to FO2 Noralyn Agudo.

The fire was declared under control at 2:07 p.m.

According to Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian, Larry’s Textile did not apply for a “hot works permit” from the Bureau of Fire Protection before proceeding with the welding.

Quoting local authorities, Gatchalian added that the factory, owned by Henry Ong, had no renovations permit. “In fact, we had revoked its business permit because of that,” he said.

Agudo said all the factory workers managed to get out of their building.