FAULTY electrical WIRINGS

MOST cases of fire incidents in Davao City are caused by faulty electrical wirings.

Last Thursday afternoon, a fire razed 50 houses at Muslim Village, Purok 26, Barangay 76-A, adding to the Bureau of Fire Protection’s (BFP) list of growing fire incidents. The affected homeowners are temporarily being housed at the mosque while waiting for government assistance and relief goods from other organizations who are quick to respond to the victims. Illegal connection of electricity is a common practice in densely-populated communities. Some make it their business by charging a neighbor higher than the charges of the electric provider. Dabaweyos are fortunate having a lot of firefighters from the BFP, 911 of the city government of Davao whose personnel are equipped with modern firefighting facilities, the group organized by Chinese businessmen and the barangay-based fire and rescue volunteers. But we often hear people complain that firefighters arrive late or when they do the fire has already gutted down structures and damaged properties. Fire could wildly spread in a breeze like in the case of houses at the Muslim Village whose walls are mostly made of Kalakat, a very vulnerable material to fire when dry. Passage for firemen was an additional problem because of the vehicles parked along the road and other structures thereat. These problems are happening and re-occurring but people do not learn lessons from the past. Authorities said fire prevention is everybody’s concern.