Fire breaks out in Supreme Court; Bar exam results to be released as scheduled

Fire broke out at a building of the Supreme Court (SC) in Manila on Tuesday morning.

The fire started at 6:05 a.m. at the SC's Centennial Building at the corner of Padre Faura Street and Taft Avenue, according to a report by Manny Vargas on Dobol B TV.

The Bureau of Fire Protection raised the first alarm.

A witness said there was the sound of a blast followed by the smell of burnt wire.

Personnel of the Manila Fire Department and fire volunteers immediately responded to put the fire under control.

SC spokesperson Brian Hosaka said the fire broke out at the data center.

"The fire is already controlled and confined only in the Data Center housed in the SC Centennial Building along Padre Faura. I was told that a UPS in the data center caught fire," he told reporters in a message.

Traffic became heavy in the area as Padre Faura Street was closed to motorists.

Firemen are still in the area as of posting time.

Meanwhile, SC Associate Justice Marvic Leonen said the fire will not affect the release on Tuesday of the Bar examination results.

"This will NOT affect the release of the results of the bar.  We have secured the data files and our chambers and OBC are fully operational," Leonen said in a post on Twitter. OBC is the Office of the Bar Confidant.

"As has characterized our operations, we have preparations for every contingency. Keep safe everyone," Leonen added.

Preparations are in full swing for the release of the results of the Bar Exams today as scheduled. It will proceed despite the fire incident this morning. #Bar2020_21 #BestBarEver2020_21 pic.twitter.com/gM4Yu8o4Pm

— Philippine Supreme Court Public Information Office (@SCPh_PIO) April 11, 2022

 —KG, GMA News