Davao City mall fire still under investigation – BFP
Published Jan 7, 2026 02:32 pm
FIREMEN put out fire in Davao City mall on Jan. 2. (Keth Bacongco)
DAVAO CITY – The Bureau of Fire Protection is still conducting investigation on the fire that damaged the upper level of Gaisano Grand Citygate Mall here on Jan. 2.
Almost a week after the P48-million fire, Davao City Fire District (DFCD) spokesperson Fire Senior Insp. Frances Marie Sendrijas said that arson probers spent the whole day inside the mall on Jan. 5.
Sendrijas said they are looking at reports that the mall’s alarm system did not function when the fire broke out.
“Our investigators are still looking into the testimonies of some eyewitnesses as well as on their findings from the site,” she said.
Sendrijas could not firm reports that the fire was reportedly caused by faulty electricity connections.
Witnesses interviewed by Manila Bulletin said that the fire broke out on the third floor of the three-story mall.
One of the witnesses said that she did not notice any sound of alarm when the smoke spread on the third floor.
DFCD said they received the report on the fire at 3:15 p.m. that reached the third alarm. The fire was placed under control after three hours and was declared fire out at 7:05 p.m.
The DFCD said the fire damaged only about 600-square meters of the mall’s third and second level.
Sendrijas clarified that while the incident is still under investigation, the BFP has yet to issue a clearance to the mall management.
The reopening of the mall would depend on investigators if they would allow the management to clear affected areas from debris.
She added that mall management will also have to wait for a clearance from the BFP before it could resume operations.
A tenant who occupies an office on the ground floor told Manila Bulletin that they are hopeful that the ground level would be reopened very soon since it was not damaged by the fire.
The ground level houses restaurants, a supermarket, offices, drug store, and some food stalls.
The Land of Transportation Office, one of the tenants on the ground floor, has deployed its LTO on Wheels bus outside the mall to process applications for student permits, driver’s licenses, and motor vehicle renewals.
The LTO said the bus will remain in the area until further notice.
Gaisano Grand Citygate Mall opened on Oct. 19, 2018 and was the 38th mall of the Gaisano Grand Group of Companies.
The mall houses restaurants, hardwares, department stores, electronic shops, supermarket, and several specialty stores.