VULNERABLE. Sitio Bato in Barangay Ermita is typical of areas classified as fire prone due to houses built too close to each other. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
Cebu City Hall should re-block 79 areas that are classified as fire outbreak hotspots in the city to make it easier for firefighters to put fires out.
Cebu City Deputy Fire Marshal Inspector Eulalio Muñez disclosed the list yesterday as the country observes Fire Prevention Month this March.
The areas, mostly situated in densely-populated urban barangays and sitios, are identified by their respective fire sub-stations based on their inspections and assessments (see table).
“Basi sa atong pag-survey ug pagtan-aw sa sitwasyon sa lugar nga nakita nato nga sikit-sikit ang mga balay ning mga sityoha, ang agi-anan sa lugar dili masulod og fire truck, tawo lang ang makasulod (Based on our survey and assessment of these areas, we saw that the houses stood close to each other making it hard for fire trucks to enter. Only people can enter these areas),” Muñez said.
Cebu City Hall usually conducts re-blocking at the fire site only after the fire has been put out.
Muñez said reblocking must be done to these areas even before a fire breaks out.
“Mas maayo gyod unta nga himoon ang reblocking bisan wa pa masunog para diretso na makasulod ang atong mga fire truck kon dunay (It’s better for the reblocking to be done first even if there are no fires so our fire trucks can enter whenever there’s a) fire emergency,” he said.
Asked if the Cebu City Fire Station officially informed Cebu City officials about their report, Muñez said he believed so because they attend the regular meetings of the Police Coordinating Advisory Council (PCAC) in Cebu City.
He said they recorded 79 fire incidents in Cebu City last year.
For the first two months this year, at least 12 fire incidents were recorded.
Muñez said this number is lower compared to the 16 fire incidents recorded for the same period last year.
Muñez said they hope to reduce fire outbreaks this month and the rest of the year through an intensive education campaign focused on households. He said they launched this campaign last Monday.
He said the most common cause of fire is electrical misuse due to unchecked wire connections and overloading.
Muñez said the people should hire electricians to check their connection every now and then.
Other causes include negligence like unattended cooking and leaving unsupervised children to play with lighters and matches and using refilled butane canisters.
Muñez said the Cebu City Council must pass an ordinance similar to Lapu-Lapu City which bans the sale of refilled butane canisters.
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