Series of fires hits Bulacan

MALOLOS CITY—Three fire incidents occurred in Bulacan including a stock room of a mall in Baliwag town late Friday and early yesterday making it the busiest 16 hours for local fire fighters.

No one was reported injured in the incidents, while local firemen are still trying to determine amount of damage in the said fires.

Beverly Cruz, public relations officer of SM City Baliwag said a fire broke in their stock room around 7:30AM  on March 15.

However, it was immediately contained and mall operations yesterday was hardly affected aside from about one delay in the entrance of mall tenants.

Cruz said that mall tenants were not immediately allowed to open their stalls due to smoke that spread near the mall’s event center.

“We have to ensure their safety and of our customers,” she said in a telephone interview.

Cruz noted that series of fire drills conducted in the mall in the past years greatly help them in containing the fire.

The most recent fire drill at the mall was held last March 12 or just three days before the incident.

She said that the fire started from a light bulb at the stock room near the mall’s events center.

On Friday afternoon, two other fire incidents occurred in Bulakan and Hagonoy towns.

Records from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) showed that the fire in Bulakan town occurred in a residential area in Barangay Bagumbayan around 3:35PM on Friday.

The fire was contained around 5:35Pm on Friday.

About an hour later, Governor Wilhelmino Alvarado called the PDRRMO to relay information that another fire occurred in Purok 2 in Barangay Abulalas in Hagonoy town.

The PDRMMO immediately dispatched dire truck to help contain a grassfire.

In his weekly broadcast over Radyo Bulacan yesterday morning, the Governor hailed readiness of local firefighters and vigilance of local residents.

He then gave the number of the PDRRMO operations center which Bulakenyos call in case of fire and other emergencies.

The number is 044-791-0566.

Earlier, two public markets in the province were gutted by fire, timely arrival of local firefighters prevented the fire from spreading.

These are the public markets of San Rafael town which was gutted two weeks ago, and the public market of Bulakan town which was gutted a week ago.

There other public markers in Bulacan were either razed to ground of gutted by fire since 2010.

This includes the Hagonoy Public Market which was razed to ground in August 2010; followed by the Malolos Public Market which was gutted in August 2012;and the Balagtas public market which was razed to ground in April last year.  Dino Balabo