Tacloban mall fire spread fast through ventilation system —mayor

The fire that gutted almost half of Robinson's mall in Tacloban City on Wednesday crept swiftly through the establishment's ventilation system, a local government official said Thursday.

"Mabilis kumalat 'yung sunog lalo na doon sa bandang taas, sa second floor kasi sa exhaust nga tumakbo 'yung apoy tapos kumalat agad doon sa taas," Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez told Unang Balita in an interview.

He said that the fire started in a restaurant at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, and firefighters had a hard time extinguishing it as it spread fast unseen through air passages.

"Ang problema kasi hinahanap mo eh, nandoon sa exhaust at akala nila under control na, pagkatapos lumilipat eh, mabilis lumilipat, kumakalat 'yung apoy," he added.

As of 5:54 a.m. on Thursday, the fire was under control, while fire officials were determining its cause.  —Donna Magsino/LBG, GMA News