The Zamboanga City Fire District (ZCFD) urges Zamboangueños to do their part in preventing destructive fires to complement the efforts of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

City Fire Marshall CInsp. Lucio Albaracin during last Monday’s virtual press briefer said fire incidents happen partly due to negligence.

“Hindi po tayo nagkulang sa pagpapaalala sa kanila na maging vigilant, mag-ingat sa destructive fire. Sa mga area na dikit-dikit na yung bahay, minsan nakakalimutan dahil busy sa kanilang araw-araw na ginagawa kaya nagkaroon tayo ng sunog,” the fire official said.

For the first quarter of 2022, the bureau has responded to 33 fire incidents compared to the 35 cases recorded in the same period last year. Only 2 of the 33 fire incidents are considered index fires where damage was estimated at P10,000 or above.

Seventy-five percent (75%) of the recorded fire incidents were caused by faulty electrical connections (from substandard electrical materials) and the use of subpar electrical appliances.

CInsp. Albaracin also shared that BFP regularly conducts massive fire prevention campaigns such as the Oplan Ligtas Pamayanan which involves fire trucks going around reminding residents to be vigilant. “We give fire prevention tips and identify fire prone areas.”

Moreover, the bureau also conducts fire safety inspections on business establishments prior to the issuance of a certificate attesting to their compliance with fire prevention requirements. According to the fire official, the bureau has finished inspecting its fire assets and will coordinate with the local government for assistance in strengthening its capacity in terms of equipment, apparatus and personnel. (Claudine Uniana)