Caloocan mall fire put out after 80 hours
MANILA, Philippines—Firefighters on Tuesday morning finally put out the monster blaze that gutted the Ever Gotesco Grand Central Mall in Caloocan City, after almost four days of battling raging flames and facing angry tenants who accused them of destroying their livelihood.
SFO2 Rowell Dacanay told the Inquirer that the blaze that razed the five-story mall on Rizal Avenue was put out at 7:25 a.m., more than 80 hours after it started around 10 p.m. on Friday.
As early as 7 a.m. Tuesday, several tenants had already gathered in front of the complex poised to retrieve what was left of their merchandise.
“I only want to get the camera equipment [from] our stall on the ground floor,” Jojo Cartegena, who is employed by Grand Events Photography, told the Inquirer.
Jun Nuid, who sells shoes and other leather goods, shared his sentiment.
Fire and security officials, as of 11 a.m., however, barred the tenants from entering the gutted structure without a go-signal from the higher-ups.
Dacanay said that before any civilian could be allowed inside, a written order should first be signed by the city fire marshal and investigators, turning over the building to the Ever Gotesco management.
“There’s a procedure there. We have to wait for that first. This is for safety purposes,” Dacanay explained.
As of Tuesday, mopping-up operations were ongoing inside the building.
While the cost of damage to property has yet to be determined, Superintendent Oscar de Asis, city fire marshal, told the Inquirer that it amounted to “millions,” since 90 percent of the building has been destroyed.
He said the places that were most affected by the fire were the parking area and the movie houses on the fifth floor.
Asked if the Gotesco Ever management should be held liable for any violation of the Fire Code, De Asis said he could not yet comment on the issue until a thorough investigation was conducted.
He, however, said that the mall’s sprinkler system functioned properly, and that there was fire fighting equipment inside.
Caloocan fire officials said the fire started in the ceiling of a Rusty Lopez stall on the ground floor but its cause was still unknown.
An inter-agency task force composed of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police has also been formed to conduct a parallel investigation, SFO2 Anthony Nomaldo, arson investigator, said.
Nomaldo said that the DILG investigating team would not only aim to find the cause of the fire, but would also look into allegations that there were lapses committed by local firemen in putting out the fire.
Meanwhile, the local government announced that it was considering a temporary relocation for residents living behind the mall on P. Jacinto Street who were affected by the fire.
Leuterio Nicolas, chief public information officer, told the Inquirer that this would be done if the City Engineering Office found that it was already unsafe to live near the complex.
A check at the back of the mall showed one of its cracked walls leaning somewhat precariously toward a residential area.
Nicolas said that city officials were set to conduct the inspection as soon as clearing operations were completed. “Definitely, we will (relocate them if needed),” Nicolas said.
Raquel So-Sayo, city health officer, meanwhile, allayed fears that the smoke generated by the fire would have adverse health effects on the residents living near the area.
She said that a medical team was making the rounds as early as Saturday to give residents a free check-up and determine their needs.
