Scene of the Crime Operatives inspect the fire scene in Barangay Babag, Lapu-Lapu City, which left four people dead and several injured. /Paul Lauro
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebu City finds itself in the throes of a significant uptick in fire incidents, data from the Cebu City Fire Office (CCFO) showed.
As of Tuesday, December 12, the CCFO reported 316 fire incidents in the city, resulting in an estimated total damage surpassing the P4-billion mark.
A substantial portion of this damage was incurred during a fire at an unfinished condominium in Cebu City, contributing to the grim statistics for 2023.
READ: Fire hits unfinished condominium building in Cebu City
Additionally, this year has already seen eight fatalities and 21 injuries, adding to the human toll of the ongoing crisis.
In 2022, the city recorded 231 fire incidents, causing damages exceeding half a million pesos. These incidents resulted in one fatality and left 27 individuals injured.
Causes
SFO2 Wendell Villanueva, Information Officer of the Cebu City Fire Office (CCFO), outlined the primary causes behind these devastating fires, including electrical misuse, outdated electrical wiring in homes, and overloaded circuits due to the widespread use of appliances.
Villanueva said these factors pose significant risks, especially when appliances surpass their intended capacity, creating potential fire hazards.
Furthermore, the fire officer also pointed out that defective appliances, overnight charging without unplugging, and the unsafe use of extension cords, known as the “octopus connection,” are key contributors to the escalating fire incidents.
READ: The dangers of fire: Common causes and tips on how to prevent it
In response to this critical situation, Villanueva revealed ongoing efforts with the introduction of the “Oplan Ligtas Pamayanan Program.”
This program, implemented at both barangay and city levels, aims to educate communities at the grassroots level about fire safety and prevention.
“Fire prevention is everybody’s concern. We need full cooperation and active involvement of the public aron maminus ang fire incidents as atong lugar… Hopefully by 2024, mapaubos pa nato ang fire incidents sa dakbayan sa Sugbo ,” Villanueva said.
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