A shooting range along the Dionisio Jakosalem Street in Barangay Cogon Ramos, Cebu City went up in flames on Thursday morning, February 1, 2024. | Contributed photo via Niña Mae Oliverio
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A shooting range fire in Barangay Cogon Ramos in Cebu City damaged P2.4 million in properties on Thursday morning, February 1, 2024.
Personnel from the Cebu City Fire Station responded to a fire alert at the 101 Centro Maximo Building along Dionisio Jakosalem Street in Barangay Cogon Ramos.
According to a report from the fire station, the blaze started at around 11:00 a.m. on Thursday. First alarm was raised at 11:04 a.m.
Only two minutes later, it was raised to the second alarm then, at 11:32 a.m., firefighters announced that the fire was put under control. At 11:43 a.m., firefighters completely put out the flames.
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No one was reported injured during the shooting range fire that affected an area of 160 square meters.
It did, however, partially burned the firing range located on the lower ground of the building. Fortunately, the blaze did not reach the guns and ammunitions store and warehouse inside the establishment, Senior Fire Officer 2 (SFO2) Wendell Villanueva, information officer of the Cebu City Fire Office (CCFO), told CDN Digital in a phone interview.
The report further revealed that the building was owned by a certain Demetrio Tuason. It added that 13 individuals were inside the establishment at the time of the fire but were able to escape unharmed.
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Due to the presence of firearms and ammunitions in the affected building, Villanueva said that responding personnel proceeded with caution while wearing breathing equipment for their safety.
As of this writing, fire personnel are checking closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the area and conducting a deeper investigation to determine the cause of the shooting range fire.
“Careful ra gyud ta no. Atong i-practice ang mag-check ta from time to time sa atong mga electrical wirings, atong mga electrical appliances. Dapat mindful ta nianang dapita kay basin og dunay mga nangadunot na nga mga electrical wirings. Gipangkit-kit na diayg mga ilaga ug uban pa. So kinahanglan, ato na siyang tan-awon,” he stated.