BFP verifying 9 NCR fire incidents on New Year's Day

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said Wednesday that it monitored nine fire incidents in the National Capital Region since midnight amid the New Year festivities.

But BFP spokesperson Fire Superintendent Annalee Atienza, clarified that the nine incidents reported in Metro Manila were still an unofficial tally.

“So far, ang nakarating sa national headquarters na report, ay 1 incident. However, sa unofficial sa NCR ay we noted 9 fire incidents simula 12:17 [a.m.] hanggang 5:21 [a.m.],” she said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

(So far, one incident was reported to the national headquarters. However, we noted 9 fire incidents in our unofficial tally in the NCR from 12:17 a.m. to 5:21 a.m.)

Atienza said the causes of the fire are still being determined, and authorities are checking if fireworks had something to do with them.

According to her, a fire also broke out in a commercial building in Malabon City and reached the third alarm.

“So far po walang [there are no] indicated na injuries or any casualty,” she added.

Some of the fire incidents in Metro Manila, she said in another interview on Balitanghali, were due to electrical ignition, while the cause of others are still being identified.

“Over the evening hanggang now, negative pa po tayo related sa firecrackers. Ang last [na sunog] ay kahapon ng 12 noon,” she said.

(Over the evening until now, we have not yet identified firecrackers as a cause of any fire. The last fire incident was yesterday at 12 noon.)

Year-over-year, Atienza said the fire incidents recorded on New Year’s Day this 2025 is lower than that of 2024.

“Mas mababa po tayo ngayon kumpara noong nakaraang taon. Although sa report, sa official report ay 1, sa ngayong taon January 1. Last year ay 54, so makikita natin ang difference talaga ng pagbaba,” she said.

(This year’s tally is lower compared to last year’s 54 incidents. So you could really see the decline.)

The BFP will be on red alert or full alert status until January 2, 2025. This means the full force of the BFP is on standby in case of emergencies and no one is on leave. — Giselle Ombay/RSJ/RF, GMA Integrated News