DOPMC operations normal after fire
THE operation of the Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center (DOPMC) is now back to normal after it was hit by a fire on Friday evening, prompting authorities to evacuate the patients and other personalities inside the health institution.
In a statement issued by the Provincial Government of Davao del Norte, the fire started to raze the portion of the hospital at around 6:10 p.m. at an open space at the second floor of the hospital and was declared fire out at 7 a.m. after the firefighters were able to immediately contain it.
The DOMPC management said that their regular operation returned to normal since only a portion of the hospital was affected and there were only minor damages incurred from the incident.
“The DOPMC reiterated and made it clear that the operation of the hospital is back to normal. The management has also appealed to the public to avoid causing unnecessary panic,” the statement read.
DavOr Governor Nelson L. Dayanghirang was on top of the situation and ordered concerned agencies and offices to converge. He also directed Vice Governor Nino Sotero Uy to oversee the situation at the site of the incident.
Authorities are conducting an investigation on the origin of the fire. There were no reported injuries to patients, watchers, and hospital staff.
Police Regional Office (PRO 11) spokesperson Police Chief Inspector Milgrace Driz said that their line unit in Davao Oriental received the information of the fire which started at the open space storage area for defective and unserviceable hospital equipment/accessories situated at the second floor DOPMC, Barangay Matiao, City of Mati.
The Davao Oriental Police Provincial Office (DOPPO) with Mati CPS and PNP personnel along with City and Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Rescue team, NGO rescue groups and AFP personnel assisted in the evacuation of patients and hospital employees and also managed traffic along national highway fronting DOPMC.
PNP also assisted the fire investigator of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in the conduct of ongoing investigation and has provided area security in hospital premises.