Smoke continues to rise from the still-burning HTI (House Technology Industries) factory inside the Export Processing Zone Authority complex after the fire razed the compound, Friday, Feb. 3, 2017, in General Trias township, Cavite province south of Manila, Philippines. Gov. Crispin Remulla says the fire at the factory complex injured over 100 workers and sent thousands fleeing to safety. AP Photo
Authorities on Friday gave conflicting reports on how many people remained missing after a fire broke out in a Japanese-owned factory inside the Cavite Economic Zone in General Trias town in Cavite province.
Cavite Gov. Jesus Crispin Remulla said six people remained unaccounted for as of Friday noon, as government officials continued locating or establishing contact with the employees of the House Technologies Inc. (HTI).
But Charito Plaza, director general of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), said only one remained missing on Friday, down from the 35 people classified as either “confirmed missing” or “being accounted for” on Thursday.
Authorities on Friday were expecting to completely put out the fire after more than 24 hours since it broke out on Wednesday night. That would be the only time forensic investigators could enter the premises to check whether there were fatalities, Plaza said.
“It is safe to assume that the [members of] SOCO (police’s Scene of Crime Operation) could be entering the premises now,” Remulla said before noon.
HTI, a manufacturer of pre-fabricated house parts for export to Japan, has a total workforce of 13,000.
Some 126 people, among them Japanese company officials, were hurt in the fire.
READ: 100 workers trapped, hurt in Cavite factory fire
Most of those who suffered severe burns were also the line leaders who stayed behind to let their subordinates go out first, Plaza said.
She said between 6,000 and 7,000 workers are assigned per shift.
HTI employees were preparing for the night shift at 6 p.m. on Wednesday when the fire started from the insulation room in one of its buildings.
“Many had already gone out, while those who were supposed to come in were not allowed to enter the (burning) building anymore,” Plaza said in a telephone interview from Davao City.
She said those left inside “were only fixing their things as they were already about to leave.”
“We’re expecting there won’t be any casualty (fatality),” Plaza said.
Rene Magtubo, chair of the Partido Manggagawa, said they asked the government to send aid to the fire victims, while members of the Workers’ Assistance Center (WAC) held a candle-lighting on Thursday afternoon outside the economic zone to call for an independent probe of the fire./rga