TAYTAY, Rizal – The tragic end of three elderly sisters who were trapped inside a burning house days before the start of the Fire Prevention Month, puts the local government on the center stage anew amid its alleged failure to make a regular hazard inspection of vulnerable structures.
According to the town-based Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), 77-year-old Gloria Valera de Silva and sisters 56-year-old Celerina Valera, and 66-year-old Elvira Valera were trapped inside their house located near Kilometer 36, Ortigas Avenue Extension in Barangay Dolores.
Investigation showed that the fire started around 9:00 on the evening of February 26 at the Valera residence. The fire quickly spread to adjacent structures, said the firefighters, who admitted that the fire was already big when they arrived at the scene.
The fire was declared under control an hour later.
In a television interview. BFP Taytay Fire Officer 1 John Randolph Baldonado admitted that it took them some time to put the fire out as the live wires slowed them down. When asked to elaborate, he claimed that the electric wires were mostly attached to steel portions of the house, which according to him is a no-no under the existing building code.
"Nahirapan po ang mga bumbero natin kasi bawat tapak nila sa tubig at sa yero, nakukuryente po sila, pati rin po ako, kasi po kami ang mga first responder. Yung wire nakadikit sa bakal," Baldonado said.
According to Lornna Valera, two of the victims had already managed to get out of the burning house but opted to go back to save their physically impaired sister. They never got out though.
Arson probers are still determining the real cause of the fire.
Meanwhile, the BFP reminded the public to exercise caution to prevent fires – "Remind ko lang po sa publiko na iwasan natin iwanan na nakasaksak at naka-on ang ating mga appliances. Kadalasan kasi, 'yon ang mga sanhi ng sunog natin. Kagaya rin po ng pagluluto natin, huwag rin po nating iiwanan. 'Yon po ang madalas na sanhi ng sunog dito sa Taytay," Baldonado said.
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