₱18.1 Million in Damage as Zamboanga City Public Market Burns for 6 Hours — Mayor Furious After Fire Hydrants Had No Water
A massive fire tore through the Zamboanga City public market late Thursday night, destroying two mercantile structures — the vegetable and fruit sections — and causing an estimated ₱18.1 million in government property damage. The blaze broke out around 11:20 PM and wasn't fully extinguished until nearly 5:52 AM Friday, according to City Fire District Marshal Supt. Leo Pioquinto.
Sixteen fire trucks from the central fire station and nearby sub-stations responded to the fire, which reached third alarm. The City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office also deployed two large and two small water tankers to support the Bureau of Fire Protection's firefighting efforts. Fortunately, no casualties or injuries were reported.
But here's where the story gets infuriating: Mayor Khymer Olaso rushed to the scene and discovered that the fire hydrants had no water to supply the firefighters. The mayor was reportedly furious — and rightfully so. When your fire hydrants don't work during an actual fire, someone has serious explaining to do.
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. Investigators are still working through the charred remains of the two buildings to figure out how the blaze started. For the vendors who depend on the vegetable and fruit sections for their livelihood, this is devastating — lalo na sa mga nagtitinda na araw-araw ang kita.
This is the latest in a string of destructive fires across the Philippines this week, following the massive Intramuros blaze earlier and the UP Diliman residential fire. With summer approaching and dry conditions setting in, fire safety is more critical than ever. And for Zamboanga City, fixing those fire hydrants should be priority number one.
Source: Manila Bulletin
