Probers: Gasoline points to arson in Star City fire

MANILA, Philippines — As far as fire investigators are concerned, last week’s blaze that destroyed a huge part of Star City and left P1 billion worth of damage was deliberately set.

“Categorically, this was arson. In our mind, in the mind of our investigators, there was arson,” Supt. Paul Pili, the Pasay City fire marshal, said on Sunday.

Pili pointed to the presence of gasoline “in an area where it should not necessarily be,” specifically, the Pirate Adventure ride, which was located in the middle of the two-story indoor amusement park’s first floor.

He noted that gasoline was not needed to operate the boats on the ride since these were being moved by waves on the manmade waterway.

Charred wall chippings also suggested that some areas in the amusement park, including Pirate Adventure, were deliberately set on fire at the same time, according to investigators.

The city’s Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) earlier submitted chipping samples to its laboratory and the National Bureau of Investigation to confirm if the blaze had indeed been caused by gasoline. The probe, however, may take up to 45 days.

No electrical failure

Pili said they were dropping the electrical failure angle since power to the amusement park had already been shut down before the fire started.

“Their power is [turned off] when they have no operations. That is part of their SOP (standard operating procedure) based on the statement of their chief electrical engineer,” he added.

The blaze started at 12:22 a.m. on Oct. 2 after the park had closed for the day.

According to Pili, they were eyeing the involvement of one of the tenants of Star Games who went inside the amusement park compound with some men carrying sacks of cotton before the fire broke out.

He questioned why the tenants did not make his men sign the logbook, as required under the park’s security regulations.

Pili said they would summon the Star City management for questioning.

“We will take the statements of the owners and check if they are going bankrupt,” he added. “We will look into their financial papers, their insurance policy and we will see if there was motive [on their part].”

Based on BFP records, Star City had a fire safety inspection certificate valid until Oct. 23. But Pili explained that should arson be proven, the amusement park would be able to make an insurance claim only if the fire was “sponsored by a third party.”

Park management reacts

In a statement, the park management called the Pasay BFP’s statements “irresponsible.”

“We feel that it was inappropriate, to say the least, to release statements to media, first regarding arson as the cause of fire, when the investigation is not clearly concluded and before taking up such matter with Star City’s management, the principal party concerned,” it said.

It explained that the gasoline inside the complex was needed to operate the Bumper Boat ride. Bumper Boat is located beside Star Games where initial reports said the blaze began.

Bringing cotton inside the park was “not unusual” either as these were used as filling for stuffed toys that were among the game prizes, management stressed.

“We are not aware of any motive, including financial gain, that would induce the commission [of] arson, [especially] on the part of Star City, as the business is profitable and a bumper Christmas season was expected,” it added.

Star City is owned by Star Parks Corp., one of the companies under the FJE Group of Companies chaired by businessman Fred J. Elizalde.