Insp. Christian Cena, spokesperson of Davao city fire district. (Earl O. Condeza/davaotoday.com)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The Bureau of Fire Protection has already recorded 54 fire incidents in just two months this year.
During the weekly AFP, PNP news conference, Insp. Christian Cena, spokesperson of city fire district, said they have recorded 27 incidents for both months of January and February.
Most incidents, according to Cena, were caused by unattended electrical appliances, open flames, candles, lamps, and children playing with matches.
Damage in the month of January reached to P8.8 million and P35.6 million in February.
Cena said that most fire incidents caused by faulty electrical wires have illegal connections and said they would check these connections again starting this Fire Prevention Month and onwards.
This month, the BFP Davao will also conduct “Barangay Ugnayan” to check illegal connections of electricity specially in residential areas in the city.
“There were a lot of octopus (electrical) connections, this is our objective in the month of March,” Cena said.
“[We are] hoping that we could talk to the barangay officials and convince them to talk to the households where fire incidents happen a lot,” Cena added citing Barangay 76-A or widely known as Barangay Bucana.
Illegal connection, Cena said, ”is when one connection is legal, and other next four connections were illegal”.
Cena said fire would happen as residents use substandard materials in the illegal connection.
“The wirings are small; it could not address the needs of the appliances presence in their residences,” Cena said.
In 2016, there were 486 fire incidents, 184 of these cases were residential fires caused by faulty electrical connections and open flames.
“Take care, do not do illegal connection, and be vigilant,” he said. “In case you saw smoke or small fire, call the nearest fire station.” (davaotoday.com)
