The Baguio Fire Department recorded forty fire incidents in the different parts of the city last year.
Fire Superintendent Nestor Gorio, city fire marshal of the Baguio Fire Department, claimed that most of the fire incidents were structural in nature, aside from forest fires, among others.
The fire marshal stated that among the identified causes of these fires were open flame, unattended lighted candle and children playing with matches and lighters.
Of the recorded fire incidents, 5 fire incidents occurred each in the months of January, June and December, 4 fire incidents each in the months of February, March, August, October and November, 2 fire incidents in July and 1 fire incident each in the months of April, May, August and September.
However, Gorio admitted that for January and February this year, there was a significant increase in fire incidents with 9 fire incidents reported in January which is much higher compared to the 5 fire incidents in January 2021, while there were 5 fire incidents in February compared to the 4 incidents during the same month last year.
According to him, the bureau continues to engage concerned stakeholders in the barangay level to serve as volunteers that will augment the existing staff of the office to be actively in fire prevention and suppression efforts undertaken with the support of the city government.
Gorio assured the public of the bureau’s timely response to the calls for emergency during fire incidents and other natural and human-made calamities.
He advised parents to make sure that matches and lighters are out of the reach of children and for them to ensure that when cooking, they close their stoves or properly put off the fire of the open flame to prevent any untoward incidents that may cause the loss of lives and inflict damages to properties.
The fire officer revealed that the 2 structural fires that transpired during the launching of the Fire Prevention Month were caused by the failure of the concerned residents to properly put off the fire from the wood that they used for cooking.
He also called on smokers not to deliberately dispose of their cigarette butts as these had also been one of the identified causes of fire incidents in the city over the past several.
Aside from the volunteers from the city’s barangays, the Baguio fire Department continues to engage the private sector for the organization of volunteers who can extend assistance in the bureau’s fire prevention efforts.
