‘Useless’ firetrucks
As it fail when a blazing inferno razes Sugbongcogon town hall
OFFICES of the municipal hall of Sugbongcogon, Misamis Oriental have been moved to the gymnasium after a fire razed the 50year old town hall building Tuesday night, May 21.
Reports from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) said the fire started at a storage
room around 8:45 p.m. and was put out around 10:30 p.m.
PDRRMO head Fernando Dy Jr. said the building was 80 percent made of light materials and the defective fire trucks of the town failed to prevent the fire from spreading quickly and razed down the entire building.
"Wala napaspasan kay daot ang firetruck sa Sugbongcogon so mobyahe pa ang uban firetrucks sa silingang lungsod para makatabang hinungdan nga nidako ang kalayo,"Dy said.
"Mga 9:30 p.m. 80 percent na nga nasunog ang building ingon ana ka paspas,"he added.
Reelected town mayor Mildred Lagbas-Mondigo said in a radio interview that a task force has been formed to thoroughly investigate the incident.
She said investigators are directed to conduct damage assessment.
Lagbas-Mondigo said the municipal disaster office will likely recommend to the municipal council for the declaration of state of calamity. The council is also set to pass a resolution asking the provincial and national government for assistance for the construction of the new town hall.
"Maghulat ta sa imbestigasyon kay diha man basihan sa atong sunod nga lakang. Pasalamat ta kay walay kinabuhi nga naangin ug pasalamat pud sa silingang lungsod nga mitabang,"LagbasMondigo said.
The reelected mayor also said employees are directed to hold their offices at the municipal gymnasium and ensure that transactions and
services will remain unhampered.
“Padayon ang mga transaction ug pag-cater sa katawhan pero hangyo lang ta sa katahwan nga medyo bikil gyud ang paglihok,”she added.
Lagbas-Mondigo also said the fire station has to explain on the defective firetrucks.
She said had the fire station informed her office on the problem, she could have acted on it.
“Ang pondo anang sa fire station is sa national mana pero wala untay problema kung nagpahibalo sa ako kay pwede man nato maaksyonan pero wala man sila nag-feedback nga nadaot man diay,”the mayor said.
“By all means maningkamot kita nga mapatukod balik ang municipal hall. Dugay nata gaplano nga magtukod og bag-o pero limited man atong resources ug kinahanglan priority man ang serbisyo sa katawhan,”she added.