Cavite EPZA mulls reviewing fire safety requirements

The administration of the Cavite Export Processing Zone is considering a revisit of their fire safety requirements for the companies inside the economic zone to ensure that the fire that hit the House Technology Industries (HTI) factory will not happen again.

“We will revisit our requirements and we might require additional firefighting equipment and personnel. I-check namin kung ano pang kailangan para ma-enhance ang firefighting capability,” lawyer Nori Cajulis-Tañag, administrator of Cavite Ecozone, said in an interview on GMA News TV's Balitanghali on Friday.

In the interview, Tañag said the HTI factory passed the last fire safety inspection by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority on June 23, 2016.

“Compliant sila. May water sprinkler, extinguisher, kung ano 'yung requirement ng BFP (Bureau of Fire Protection), 'yun din ang checklist namin, and they were compliant,” she said.

“In fact, the HRD group of companies, which HTI is under, meron silang sariling fire station, and they have six firetrucks. Meron din silang firefighting team. Kumpleto sila ng equipment,” she added.

However, given the gravity of fire that hit the factory, Tañag noted that it may be high-time for them to review their fire safety requirements.

“Maybe we can revisit kung kailangan pang i-enhance 'yung requirements na 'yun,” she said. “Pag-uusapan namin ng Bureau of Fire Protection 'yan.”

Cavite Gov. Boying Remulla said Friday morning that three people have remained "listed as missing" and 126 others were injured in the HTI fire, which broke out 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

The fire was declared under control at 12:30 a.m. Thursday, but it has not been completely put out yet as of Friday noon, Tañag said.

The Cavite Ecozone administration is jointly conducting an investigation with the BFP as to the exact cause of the fire, she added. — Erwin Colcol/RSJ, GMA News