BAN ON HIGH-RISES BEING EYED
Mayor commends firefighters for doing a tough job well But everyone needs to heed the Metro fire’s lessons, he adds
Area around Metro Ayala building will remain cordoned off because of the danger that the structure might collapse Investigators collect debris, other materials from the toys section on the third floor where the fire reportedly started Mayor wants to impose a temporary ban on the construction of high-rise buildings until safety concerns are addressed
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) 7 finally gave the management of Ayala Center Cebu the go-signal to resume its operations.
This, after BFP 7 Director Samuel Tadeo declared the fire, which struck the Metro Ayala building last Friday night, out at 4:18 p.m. yesterday.
“Now, it’s up to the management’s assessment when they can open (the mall) to the public,” Tadeo said.
He said they will still cordon off the area around the Metro Ayala building because of the danger that it might collapse.
“We are doubting the integrity of the building. The cooling tower in the sixth floor is closely being monitored because it’s tilting,” he said.
The cooling tower is heavy equipment used to cool large buildings and it might cause the remaining fire-torn floors to collapse, said Cebu City Fire Marshal Nelson Ababon in an earlier interview.
For analysis
Tadeo said they started their investigation by sending a 15-person team from the station, provincial and regional fire offices of the BFP 7 to collect debris and other materials from the toys section on the third floor where the fire reportedly started.
“Those debris and ashes will undergo a laboratory analysis and there will be another micro- electro analysis of electric wires from the building,” Tadeo said.
These will be sent to the arson laboratory unit in their national headquarters in Manila, he said.
He said they will also look into reports that the mall’s sprinkler system didn’t work, he said in a dyLA report.
The team also interviewed workers and personnel who were in the area when the blaze started.
Some of the workers tried to douse the flames with fire extinguishers, to no avail.
Tadeo said they have no time frame as to when they will end their investigation, adding that it will depend on the management’s cooperation.
In the same radio dyLA report, he said they subjected Metro Ayala to regular fire safety inspections.
Tadeo admitted that it was hard to extinguish the fire.
“We have complete firefighting equipment, breathing apparatus and others. But this kind of fire is really hard to put out. Good thing that we did it and prevented the blaze from affecting nearby establishments,” he said.
He said that some of their equipment was damaged, but assured that these can be fixed.
The official said he was grateful for the assistance the firefighters received from the public.
Suggestion
“Complete strangers brought plastics and boxes of food and water to our firemen and for that we are thankful. It was really heartwarming for us and we appreciated all the help that we got from the different stakeholders,” he said.
Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office Chief Nagiel Bañacia said that for Metro Ayala to eradicate the risk of endangering the public, it can opt to demolish the fire- gutted building.
“As of now, because there is
We certainly don’t want a disaster and I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news but it’s my responsibility to air our concerns if only to make people come up with suggestions and we’re open to any kind of discussions that could help save lives. On my own, I’m thinking of putting a ban on the construction of high-rise buildings until we can reasonably assure that there will be safety standards. MAYOR TOMAS OSMEÑA
still an ongoing investigation, it cannot be demolished yet. The management is very much willing to cooperate,” he said.
Meanwhile, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña wants to temporarily impose a ban on the construction of some high-rise buildings until several safety concerns are addressed.
In his news conference yesterday, Osmeña commended the City’s disaster team, the firefighters and volunteers and other responders for their efforts in putting out the fire.
However, he said he wants the inability to control a major fire to be addressed first before he allows the construction of high-rise buildings to resume.
He said the City is open to discussions as to his plan to temporarily ban construction of tall buildings, adding that the City is open to suggestions.
Public hearing
“We certainly don’t want a disaster and I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news but it’s my responsibility to air our concerns if only to make people come up with suggestions and we’re open to any kind of discussions that could help save lives. On my own, I’m thinking of putting a ban on the construction of high-rise buildings until we can reasonably assure that there will be safety standards,” he told reporters.
Osmeña ordered the Office of the Building Official (OBO) to temporarily freeze the processing of pending permits of highrise buildings.
“The City will conduct a public hearing with the contractors and developers to get their side also,” said Engr. Josefa Ylanan, OBO chief.
There are 20 pending building permit applications before OBO for high-rise buildings, or those with more than 15 floors high.
Ylanan said the mayor’s order will also cover those proposed buildings which have at least five floors but below 15 floors, or medium-rise buildings.
As to reports that the sprinkler system didn’t work, Osmeña questioned if these had ever been tested.
“I’m not an expert in firefighting but I have common sense and what I have seen is that we have to look deeply on why the sprinklers were not functioning. We have so many high-rise buildings in Cebu and their only hope in saving are the sprinkler system,” Osmeña said.
He also said the City will buy more breathtaking equipment as a short-term solution to allow firemen to penetrate burning structures with thick smoke.