The unseen circumstances of fires

The fire that gutted the Metro Ayala Department Store a few days ago was by no means a "high-rise" fire. The six stories that made up the building did not and cannot qualify it as a highrise fire, especially in the context of today's skyscrapers. In fact, the difficulty in putting out the fire (it raged for nearly 70 hours) was not for lack of aerial ladders among Cebu's different firefighting units but in the way the building was built.

The Metro Ayala Department Store was a virtual fortress. It was rock solid. As the fire raged inside, there was nowhere that firefighters can break through to battle the blaze. They had to resort to soliciting the help of construction companies that had heavy drilling equipment to punch holes through the walls to allow both ventilation and space for firefighters to aim their hoses.

Metro Ayala and other buildings of similar height do not pose a real challenge to Cebu's firefighting units. They have enough resources to do their jobs well even if not in the numbers that would allow the idealists to have a good night's sleep. So unless fires break out simultaneously in several medium-rise buildings all over the city, Cebu's firefighters are expected to conduct themselves creditably.

Of course it would be great if they can have more of what they already have. But the real eye- opener in the Metro Ayala incident is the need for unique tools and equipment that can address the particular circumstances of certain building designs, especially in this day and age when building construction no longer hews to what is common and usual. More importantly, the plans and layouts of every building in a fire jurisdiction should be part of every firefighters arsenal.

If there is any consolation in the erroneous characterization of Metro Ayala Department Store as a high-rise building, it is that it caught the attention of the authorities, particularly Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, who quickly responded by freezing all applications for the construction of more high-rise buildings in the city, at least until such time that safety requirements for such buildings can be satisfied.

Actually, there is nothing in the world that can be done about fires on real high-rises and skyscrapers other than what these modern buildings can equip and build into their construction and design. But for as long as there are fires to put out regardless of the circumstances or location, regular fire services such as the ones we call and who respond with sirens wailing will never become irrelevant. They will always be the unsung heroes who risk their lives for everyone.