BACOLOD CITY – The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Bacolod recorded a 24.10 percent decrease in fire incidents from 336 in 2022 to 255 in 2023.

BFP-Bacolod
Fire Chief Insp. Stephen Jardeleza, city fire marshal, said that residential topped the list of structural fires last year with 94, up by 18 or 23.68 percent from 76 in 2022.
Commercial fire increased by 12.50 percent from eight in 2022 to nine in 2023.
Business and government office fire went up by four from three in 2022 to seven in 2023, storage from five in 2022 to six the following year, and industrial or factory from three two years ago to five in 2023.
No educational and healthcare fire were reported in 2022, but there were three educational fire and one healthcare fire incidents last year.
Jardeleza said total amount of damage in structural fire last year went up to P45,018,550, from P30,075,643 in 2022.
The highest number of fire incidents were reported in April with 55, followed by March, 36, and May, 29.
Jardeleza said the most common cause of fire incidents was overheated electrical installation or loose connection, followed by open flame or unattended bonfire, overheated electrical appliances, ignition of materials from ember, unattended cooking, open flame by children playing matchsticks, cooking gas leakage, firecrackers, negligence, and alleged intentional or intentional circumstances.
Despite these figures, Jardeleza said the BFP recorded a decrease in the following structural fires last year – grass fire, 56; electrical post fire, 35; miscellaneous fire, 21; rubbish fire, 17, and places of assembly, one.
No mixed type occupancy fire was recorded last year while one was reported in 2022.
Jardeleza said that two civilians were killed while 14 others were injured in fire incidents last year. The number of injured decreased by three or 17.64 percent last year from 17 and there was no fatality in 2022.
He believed that their information drive in schools and barangays contributed to the decrease in fire incidents here. He said that they will continue their information dissemination to educate more people about fire safety and fire prevention especially in barangays.