Fastfood outlet in Cebu City mall loses P60K to fire
The first floor of the downtown Cebu City mall has no power after the firefighters put out the fastfood outlet fire on the third floor of the mall. | Gerard Francisco
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A Thursday afternoon fire that broke out inside a mall along Sanciangko Street, Cebu City caused P60,000 worth of damage on a fastfood chain outlet.
Firefighters in Cebu City received the alarm at exactly 4:49 p.m., and was raised to the second alarm at 5 p.m.,
The fire was placed under control at 5:11 p.m., and was officially declared fire out at 5:52 p.m.
Investigation showed that the smoke came from a fastfood chain located at the 3rd floor of the mall
No one was injured from the incident.
Read more: Alumnos gym to be turned into evacuation center
This was the second fire to hit Cebu City today, March 5, 2020. The first one, happened at dawn in Barangay San Nicolas where 81 houses were razed and 116 families were displaced.
Read more: Dawn fire burns 50 homes in Brgy Basak San Nicolas
2 possibilities for fastfood outlet fire
In the fastfood chain outlet fire, Senior Fire Officer 2 Emerson Arceo from the Cebu City Fire Department told reporters in a press interview that they are investigating two possibilities on what caused the fire — mechanical failure or soot.
“We’re looking into the possibility that there could be mechanical failure or that it was due to soot (anuos in Cebuano) clogging the fastfood outlet’s chimney,” Arceo said in Cebuano.
As of 6:54 p.m., the building was off limits to the general public except for tenants who returned for their belongings.
Arceo said the mall except for the portions near the fastfood chain outlet were safe but added that they would leave it up to the management whether or not normal operations would resume tomorrow, Friday (March 6).
Hundreds of mallgoers and tenants rushed out of the building when white smoke filled the third and second floors.
Marlyn Taoy said she dashed immediately outside the building when she saw thick, white smoke covering the shop where she worked.
Taoy said she only managed to lock the store before she raced outside together with dozens more who were seeking safety.
“The smoke was really thick because when I got out of the shop, I can’t breathe properly anymore,” she added./dbs
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