Metro Briefs: Fire hits BPI Greenbelt

BANK records went up in smoke as a fire hit a Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) branch in Makati City on Monday morning.

SFO1 Reynaldo Gonzales said the storage room containing the records was burned as fire erupted at 9:17 a.m. at the BPI Greenbelt Cinema branch at Greenbelt 1 on Paseo de Roxas Avenue.

A bank security guard said there was a spark from the ceiling near the vault, located beside the storage room, shortly before flames appeared, Gonzales told the Inquirer.

The fire reached the first alarm at 9:28 a.m. before it was declared under control at 9:55 a.m. Although it was put out at 3:31 p.m., investigators could not immediately go inside the bank because of the thick smoke.

According to Gonzales, fire investigators have yet to assess the extent of the damage. No one was reported hurt.

In a statement to the Inquirer, BPI reassured affected clients, saying their accounts remained safe and secure and the branch would soon resume operations.  Erika Sauler and Doris Dumlao