The damaged portion of BFP-Kapitolyo fire substation —Photo contributed by Derrick Macutay
A substation of the Bureau of Fire Protection in Pasig City, caught fire while its personnel were busy elsewhere on Wednesday morning.
Senior Insp. Anthony Arroyo, the city’s fire investigation chief, said the fire started inside one of the quarters of the BFP-Kapitolyo substation located at the corner of Sta. Rosa and East Capitol streets in Barangay Kapitolyo around 9:55 a.m.
It was immediately contained and was declared out after five minutes or around 10 a.m., said Fire Officer 3 Yvonne Bomowey.
While Arroyo called it “an accident,” the fire was believed to have been caused by an electrical malfunction, as the affected quarters had a water dispenser which was always plugged in.
Arroyo said it happened while the substation’s firefighters were out cleaning a basketball court as requested by barangay officials.
“It was an accident and it could happen to anyone, even to those following the Fire Code,” Arroyo said.