Some 67 hours later, Metro fire finally out

With the fire finally out, attention shifted to the search for answers. What can the Cebuano community learn from the fire that gutted the Metro Ayala Department Store?

Regional Director Samuel Tadeo of the Bureau of Fire Protec- tion declared the fire out at 4:18 p.m. Monday, some 67 hours after it began.

Flames left the main Ayala Center Cebu mall “largely unaffected” but as a precaution, the management will complete a “thorough cleanup and full systems check” before the mall will reopen.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he was considering a ban on high-rise buildings in the city, unless the ability to fight major fires in skyscrapers improves.

In a statement released to the media yesterday, the Cebu Holdings Inc. said that Ayala Center Cebu will not resume operations until it has thoroughly cleaned up the main mall and completed a full systems check.

Atty. Jeanette Japzon, corporate communications manager of Ayala Land Inc. and Cebu Holdings Inc., said that the fire was contained in the Metro Department Store building and the main mall of Ayala Center Cebu remained largely unaffected by the fire.

Japzon told Superbalita that no merchants and personnel were allowed to enter the mall, as the management is still assessing how fast it can do systems check to ensure that the wirings are safe.

“We want to resume operations as soon as we can,” she said.

“We thank the Bureau of Fire, the Cebu City Disaster and Risk Management Office, Philippine National Police and all emergency responders and volunteers who tirelessly worked around the clock to put out the fire and ensure everyone was safe. Thankfully, there are no reported injuries or casualties resulting from the incident,” the statement said. /