Ormoc mall fire damage estimated at P190M

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, July 25-- The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) on Tuesday put the initial damage caused by the fire that gutted the city's oldest department store here at PHP190 million.

Incident investigator Senior Fire Officer (SFO) 2 Roel Wenceslao said that Gaisano Capital Ormoc management declared an initial approximation of damages for the stocks alone.

The estimate excludes rough calculation for damaged stocks from several tenants, occupying both sides of the building, which were also affected by exposure to excessive heat.

The building is owned by the city government leased to Gaisano for 25-year contract to end on 2021.

Based on preliminary investigation, the blaze might have started at the building’s second floor particularly the children’s wear section, which they cordoned off for the national headquarter’s final investigation.

Further, the head office is taking charge of the investigation citing the huge approximate cost of fire damage. 

After 32-hour of fire, the local investigator, following several attempts, failed to totally search the area because of damaged structures and high temperature within the building.

“Through the employees’ entrance, we were able to reach the roof top but for safety reasons, we failed to search the whole building,” Wenceslao said.

The building is now safeguarded by police officers on shift duties while waiting for the national investigators. Tenants were temporarily disallowed to go through their stores for safety reasons.

The management has not yet declared the number of employees who may be displaced following the huge fire destroying the establishment.(Elvie Roman Roa/PNA)