The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said welding work started the fire on the fourth floor of Pasay City Hall on Tuesday, April 26.
According to initial report, the fire was due to faulty electrical wiring. However, further investigation conducted by BFP Pasay City established that it was caused by a spark from welding work on the rooftop of the building.
Supt. Crossib Cante, chief of the Pasay City BFP, said a maintenance team from the Engineering Office was repairing a water tank when the incident happened.
Cante said the welding splinters hit the scattered papers on the ceiling. Thick smoke was later seen billowing from the fourth floor hallway fronting the office of Councilor Tonya Cuneta.
He said the fire started around 2:00 p.m. and was put out by responding firefighters at 2:19 p.m.
Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano said the employees casually left their offices when the fire broke out.