BACOLOD CITY – A 14-story residential tower under construction within the 34-hectare township of Upper East Megaworld in Barangay 41 here was hit by a fire on Thursday, February 1.

FIREMEN battle a blaze at Upper East Megaworld in Barangay 41, Bacolod City on Thursday, February 1. (Photo courtesy of BFP-Bacolod)
The fire at the Megaworld condominium at the corner of Regis and Madison Streets broke out on the third and fifth floors at around 11:54 a.m.
Fire Chief Insp. Stephen Jardeleza, city fire marshal, said that firefighters saw construction materials on these floors, ceramic, and other combustible objects.
He said the fire reached the third alarm. Fire out was declared at 12:34 p.m.
The fire damaged a 130-square meter area but no injuries were reported.
Arson investigators have yet to determine the cause of the fire.
Damage to property was placed at P5.2 million.
Jardeleza thanked fire volunteers for augmenting the Bureau of Fire Protection during fire response.
Harold Geronimo, Megaworld Vice President for Public Relations and Media Affairs, said they are closely coordinating with the contractor handling the construction site about the fire.
Geronimo said the building is unoccupied and only workers were doing construction work there.
Contractor MRK Construction said that the building is still under their responsibility and that they are closely coordinating with Megaworld as well as local fire authorities to determine what caused the fire.
We will cooperate in the investigation of this incident, MRK Construction said.
The fire happened barely two months after three makeshift warehouses were also hit by a blaze that left an estimated P14 million worth of damage to property in the Upper East Megaworld on December 13.
The fire only affected the temporary warehouse and office of contractors.