MIAA, BFP, DOTR continue probe into NAIA parking lot fire

Authorities are continuing their investigation into the possible cause of the fire at the NAIA parking lot that destroyed several parked vehicles on Monday.

According to a 24 Oras report by Joseph Morong on Tuesday, the Bureau of Fire Protection is looking into whether cigarettes caused the fire, while the Department of Transportation is checking other leads.

“Mayroon daw pumutok na power bank… dahil sa init. Siguro, that’s one possibility,” said DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista.

(They said there was a power bank that exploded... because of the heat. I guess that's one possibility.)

The blaze is currently considered a grassfire.

“Regarding sa cause and origin of fire, under investigation pa rin po siya right now... Sinusubukan po naming kunin yung CCTV footage sa area. Yung witness na invited [ay] yung security guard po ng parking area,” said BFP-Pasay Acting Chief Fire Senior Inspector Claudine Princess Aladano.

(Regarding the cause and origin of the fire, it's still under investigation right now... We are trying to get the CCTV footage of the area. The witness invited [is] the security guard of the parking area)

Meanwhile, private concessionaire Philippine Skylanders International said in a letter addressed to MIAA General Manager Eric Ines that they were willing to shoulder costs incurred by the fire.

"We already received a letter from the car park operator informing us that they are willing to absorb or pay for the damage," Bautista said.

The company clarified, however, that doing so was not an admission of fault.

MIAA has since prohibited the use of the lot until dry grass has been removed and the area has been covered with gravel and rocks to prevent further fire incidents. — Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/BM, GMA Integrated News