MOA between BFP, traders on fire-fighting ops urged

To prevent a repeat of the monster blaze that gutted Ever Gotesco Grand Central Mall on March 16, the Caloocan City government has proposed that the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with private corporations which would grant firefighters immediate access to establishments during emergencies.

Jun Paclibar, spokesperson for the city government, said the proposal was made following reports that the blaze which raged for 82 hours and destroyed 90 percent of the five-story mall on Rizal Avenue, took so long to put out because security guards denied responding firemen access to the building.

He added that local authorities had to look for other ways to put out the blaze which—as a result of the delay—was able to spread to other parts of the mall.

“The reason [cited by security guards] was that the things inside the mall might be stolen, but [when they did not allow firemen to enter], it only [made things] worse. Now, everything’s gone,” Paclibar said.

Local authorities have estimated the damage to property caused by the fire at P700 million.

According to Paclibar, the Gotesco blaze proved that firemen could not assume that they would be allowed to enter any burning establishment.

He said a formal agreement was needed to prevent mall authorities and other business officials from hampering fire-fighting operations.

Asked if this couldn’t be done at the city government’s level, Paclibar said that the BFP, a national agency, was better suited to initiate an MOA since fires do not occur only at the local level.

An ordinance, he said, could only do so much.

“The city government gives residents tips for fire prevention. But when fires break out and firemen are not allowed inside business establishments, it’s not within our power anymore… they [businessmen and BFP] should be the ones to talk,” Paclibar added.

Meanwhile, Senior Supt. Fennimore Jaudian, head of the Interagency Task Force assigned to look into the cause of the blaze, told the Inquirer that the probe team was looking into three possible causes of the fire: arson, accidental or as a result of negligence.