P3.9 B lost in Cebu City high-rise condo building fire
Published Apr 15, 2023 04:45 am
CEBU CITY – A 43-year-old man died while over P4 billion in property was destroyed in separate fires here on Friday, April 14.
THICK, black smoke rises from a 37-story condominium building that caught fire on Friday afternoon, April 14, in Barangay Kasambagan, Cebu City. (Photo courtesy of Francis Becaldo via BFP-7)
The body of a 43-year-old man, Renante Cadampog, was found in the rubble of his burnt house after the fire was put out at 10:05 a.m. Fire Officer 3 Fulbert Navarro, fire investigator of the Cebu City Fire Office (CCF), said the cause of the fire is still being investigated. A few hours later, a fire broke out in a 37-story condominium building in Barangay Kasambagan. The fire started at the Grand Residences Tower 4 at 2:41 p.m. and was declared fire out nine hours later at 11:49 p.m. Senior Fire Officer 3 Wendell Navarro said it was a challenge for the firefighters to quickly put out the fire as it started on the 37th floor. Initial report showed that the condominium complex owned by Shogun Management and Development Corp. is still under construction but some units are already occupied. "We face challenges in every fire incident. This time, it’s a different case, the fire started at the top then it spread to lower floors,” said Villanueva. Villanueva said firefighters did not expect that the fire would spread quickly to lower floors. “The building has a big pipe from top to bottom. It was likely the reason why the fire spread quickly. The pipe melted and it fell on some stocks that were also combustible,” Villanueva said. Damage to property at the condominium complex was pegged at P3.9 billion. Villanueva said that the CCFO has the capability to combat fires in high-rise buildings. “We are capable. In fact, the fire did not spread to the other building. But we should look into this incident for us to improve our operation,” Villanueva said. Villanueva admitted there is a need to improve the CCFO’s aerial equipment. The CCFO currently has three aerial ladder fire trucks but these can only reach the 18th floor.
THICK, black smoke rises from a 37-story condominium building that caught fire on Friday afternoon, April 14, in Barangay Kasambagan, Cebu City. (Photo courtesy of Francis Becaldo via BFP-7)
The body of a 43-year-old man, Renante Cadampog, was found in the rubble of his burnt house after the fire was put out at 10:05 a.m. Fire Officer 3 Fulbert Navarro, fire investigator of the Cebu City Fire Office (CCF), said the cause of the fire is still being investigated. A few hours later, a fire broke out in a 37-story condominium building in Barangay Kasambagan. The fire started at the Grand Residences Tower 4 at 2:41 p.m. and was declared fire out nine hours later at 11:49 p.m. Senior Fire Officer 3 Wendell Navarro said it was a challenge for the firefighters to quickly put out the fire as it started on the 37th floor. Initial report showed that the condominium complex owned by Shogun Management and Development Corp. is still under construction but some units are already occupied. "We face challenges in every fire incident. This time, it’s a different case, the fire started at the top then it spread to lower floors,” said Villanueva. Villanueva said firefighters did not expect that the fire would spread quickly to lower floors. “The building has a big pipe from top to bottom. It was likely the reason why the fire spread quickly. The pipe melted and it fell on some stocks that were also combustible,” Villanueva said. Damage to property at the condominium complex was pegged at P3.9 billion. Villanueva said that the CCFO has the capability to combat fires in high-rise buildings. “We are capable. In fact, the fire did not spread to the other building. But we should look into this incident for us to improve our operation,” Villanueva said. Villanueva admitted there is a need to improve the CCFO’s aerial equipment. The CCFO currently has three aerial ladder fire trucks but these can only reach the 18th floor.