Boracay fire an accident, damages pegged at P48-M

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

The fire that hit Boracay Talipapa Bukid two months ago was an accident, according to Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Boracay Fire Inspector Stephen Jardeleza. 

 

                                                                                  PHOTO ALAN PALMA SR

In a phone interview on Saturday, August 15, Jardeleza said fire investigators concluded that the unattended cooking stove in the kitchen area of the house of Marcelino Sotto III caused the fire.

Damage to property on June 17 was estimated at P48 million. The fire razed to the ground about 400 market stalls and boarding houses. More than 800 victims were left homeless. 

“Malayo ang bahay ng mga Sotto sa Boracay Talipapa Bukid, sa may eastern portion sila. May second ignition ng fire o nag-spread sa ibang area ng Talipapa dahil sa lakas ng hangin, naabot at nasunog ang lahat ng bahay at market stalls,” said Jardeleza.

(The Sottos’ house is far from Boracay Talipapa Bukid, they’re at the eastern portion. There was a second ignition of fire or it spread to another area of Talipapa because of the strong wind. The fire also reached and destroyed all houses and market stalls.)

On June 17, the fire broke at around 2:50 pm and it took firemen until 5 pm to control the blaze. The fire was raised to general alarm as all fire trucks of BFP-Boracay and volunteer fire brigades had responded.

No one was seriously injured during the incident.

Jardeleza also ruled out arson as the cause of the fire was independently corroborated by 6 witnesses who saw the fire originating from Sotto’s house.

“Halos dalawang taon na walang kuryente ang bahay ng Sotto dahil sa naputulan sila, kaya na ruled out din natin na hindi faulty electrical connections ang cause ng fire,” he said. (Sotto’s house has had no electricity for nearly two years because it was cut, and so we ruled out faulty electrical connections as cause of the fire.)

“Walang tao sa bahay ni Sotto noong nangyari ang sunog dahil nasa trabaho ang mag-asawa. Pagkatapos ng klase sa umaga, umuwi ang pitong taong gulang na anak ni Sotto sa bahay nila. Habang siya ay nagluluto ng natirang pagkain sa kitchen kasama ang mga batang kalaro gamit ang frying pan na nakapatong sa grill, lumaki ang apoy at natupok ang mga firewood sa gilid ng stove, pati na ang dingding ng bahay nila,” he continued.

(There was nobody home at Sotto's when the fire happened because the couple was at work. After class, Sotto’s 7-year-old child went home. While the child was cooking leftover food in the kitchen, together with young playmates, using a frying pan over a grill, the fire grew bigger and destroyed the firewood beside the stove, as well as the walls of their house.)

Jardeleza added, “There were witnesses near the house of Sotto who gave detailed descriptions that they saw thick black smoke coming from Sotto’s kitchen area.”

“Naamoy din nila ang sunog na parang plastic na galing sa kitchen ng mga Sotto. Naka-recover tayo ng melted frying pan dahil sa intense heat, sa origin ng fire mismo,” he stressed. (They also smelled something burning, which seemed like plastic, emanating from Sotto’s kitchen. We recovered a frying pan which melted because of intense heat from the fire itself.)

Jardeleza said no flammable substances were recovered as evidence that was collected by BFP-Boracay after the fire incident, and was examined by Arson Laboratory Section-BFP National Headquarters.

Given the P48-million in damages incurred, a task force from BFP regional office in Iloilo City will also conduct a separate investigation into the Boracay fire incident.

Jardeleza said he submitted his report last Friday to newly-installed BFP regional director Senior Superintendent Lindy Lauzon.

“BFP regional office will have an investigating body to further conduct investigation of the Boracay fire incident. It is up to the regional office to adopt the report and issue the final investigation report. We are also included in the Level 4 task force of this investigation by the regional office,” Jardeleza said.

Under BFP Standard Operating Procedure Number IID 2008-001, the BFP regional director, through its Regional Investigation and Intelligence Branch (RIIB), has the full responsibility and power to investigate fire incidents with total damages amounting to above P40 million but not exceeding P60 million.