BFP puts out several Christmas Eve, Christmas Day fires

The Bureau of Fire Protection responded to several fire incidents in the few short hours leading up to Christmas, and in the early hours of December 25 as well.

According to a 24 Oras report by Bernadette Reyes on Wednesday, a fire broke out at a fruit warehouse in San Rafael Village, Navotas at around 6:40 a.m. on Christmas Day. 

Employees of the warehouse stated that the burnt products were equivalent to about one whole container van of burnt apples, tomatoes, and garlic. 

“Tinanong ko, doon daw sa taas nagmula pero ang tingin ko sa apoy dito sa baba. Doon sa mismong tinutulugan nila,” said warehouse caretaker Ricardo Susano. 

(When I asked, they said the fire started at the tip but I think it started here at the bottom. Exactly where they slept.) 

“Naririnig ko po [na] may mga pumuputok. Akala ko nagpapaputok. Tapos po lumabas po yung kapatid ko. Ang laki na po ng sunog diyan, nagliliyab na po,” added warehouse caretaker Shyla Susano.

(I heard something exploding. I thought simebody was using firecrackers. My sibling went out. The fire was already big, it was blazing.)

The blaze was declared out within an hour. 

“Hindi po porket prutas ganoon po kadali na mapatay. Kailangan po mapatay kagad, kaya lang ang inooverruling natin ngayon para masiguro natin na wala na apoy na kumakalat,” said a fire responder. 

(Just because these are fruits doesn’t mean it would be easy to put out. We have to put it out right away, but we are overruling it right now to ensure that no more fire is left to spread.) 

Another fire incident was reported at a house in Barangay 18, Caloocan around 1:30 a.m. on Christmas.

The fire was put out right away, and the 84-year-old owner of the house was safe. 

Meanwhile, fire also broke out in Barangay Batis, San Juan on Christmas Eve. 

“Bumalik ako sa bahay para sana isalba ang mga gamit ko sa second floor, kaso umakyat ako sa hagdan. Hindi ko na kaya kasi sobrang kapal ng usok… umatras ako eh. Di ko na alam gagawin ko eh,” said victim Jey Martinez. 

(I came back to the house to hopefully save my things at the second floor, but I went up the stairs. I couldn’t take it because the smoke was too thick… I backed off. I didn’t know what else to do.) 

“Medyo maulan po ngayon. Nakakasagabal sa operation. Looban at maraming taong nakatira dito sa loob, siyempre ang mga tao palabas at mga bumbero papasok,” the responder said. 

(It’s rainy right now. It’s impeding the operation. The area is indoors and a lot of people live in there, so if course the people are on their way out while the firefighters are trying to enter.) 

Authorities are still looking into the source of the fire, but the owner of the house where it began said it might have been due to faulty electrical wiring. 

Data from GMA News Research stated that there had already been 756 fire incidents from December 1 to 25, which was 34.72% lower than the 1,158 incidents from the same period in 2023. 

The top causes of the fire incidents were cooking, loose electrical connection, and smoking. 

“In these figures, makikita natin na mababa tayo sa insidente ngayong taon. This may be dahil sa puspusang fire safety education, fire prevention campaign ng ating ahensya,” Atienza told PTV’s Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon. 

(These figures indicate a decrease in incidents this year, which could be attributed to our agency's intensive fire safety education and fire prevention campaigns.) 

“Kasama na rin ang cooperation ng community at assistance ng local government units. Kaya masasabi natin na kahit may ganitong number, kailangan natin ipagpatuloy ang pakikibahagi sa mga programa ng BFP,” she said. 

(This also includes the cooperation of the community and the assistance of local government units. However, we still need to continue participating in the programs of the BFP despite the decline in the incidents.) — Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/BM, GMA Integrated News