Mayor Honey orders inspection of all structures in Manila after tragic Binondo fire


Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan has ordered building and fire officials to conduct a thorough inspection of all structures in the city following a tragic fire that killed 11 people at a residential-commercial building in Binondo, Manila on Friday, August 2.

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Photo from TXTFIRE Philippines/MANILA BULLETIN

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Photos from Manila DRRMO/MANILA BULLETIN

Lacuna-Pangan said that structures which are high fire risks, especially buildings that are at least 15 years old, will be prioritized in the inspection to determine their compliance with the National Building Code and the Revised Fire Code of the Philippines.

“These checks are to ensure strict compliance with existing building and fire regulations, aiming to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future and to safeguard the well-being of our residents,” the mayor stated.

Lacuna-Pangan extended her condolences to the families of the fire victims.

“Sa ngalan ng Pamahalaang Lungsod ng Maynila, lubos po akong nakikidalamhati sa mga mahal sa buhay ng mga nasawi sa sunog na tumupok sa isang residential-commercial building sa Carvajal sa Binondo, Maynila kaninang umaga. Muli, taos pusong pakikiramay sa pamilya ng mga nawalan. May the souls of the departed rest in peace (On behalf of the City Government of Manila, I deeply sympathize with the loved ones of those who perished in the fire that consumed a residential-commercial building in Carvajal, Binondo, Manila this morning. May the souls of the departed rest in peace),” she said.

“We are awaiting the official report from the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) to fully understand the circumstances surrounding this tragic event,” she added.

To help the families of the victims and other affected residents who lost their property, the Manila Social Welfare and Development (MSWD) immediately provided them with assistance, including psychosocial, medical, and financial aid.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) confirmed that 11 people died after they were allegedly trapped inside the building at the corner of Nueva (former Yuchengco Street) and Carvajal Streets. 

They have not yet disclosed the identities of the victims.

According to the BFP, the fire was raised to the first alarm at 7:28 a.m. and to the second alarm at 8:14 a.m.

Firefighters extinguished the fire at around 10:03 a.m.

Read more: https://mb.com.ph/2024/8/2/fire-hits-commercial-area-in-binondo-manila