Japanese firm in Cavite loses P15M to fire

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna—A more than 10-hour fire razed a building of a Japanese-owned company inside the Export Processing Zone in Rosario, Cavite, on Friday until early Saturday.

Cavite Police Director Senior Superintendent John Bulalacao said the fire broke out at around 2 p.m. on Friday in the one-story building of House Technology Industries (HTI).

The fire reached fifth alarm and was put out shortly before 1 a.m., Saturday, after fire stations from 15 Cavite towns responded to the scene.

Bulalacao said the fire destroyed some P15 million worth of properties. Supt. Miguelito Descalzo, Rosario police chief, said the fire quickly spread because the building contained wood products. HTI supplied construction materials for houses.

“Witnesses said the fire started from a large wood boiler, although the fire bureau has not yet concluded its investigation,” Descalzo said.

No one was wounded since workers had just ended their shift when the fire broke out, Descalzo said.

The fire damaged only one of the buildings that the company owned inside the economic zone, he said. Maricar Cinco, Inquirer Southern Luzon