Intentional or Accidental?

Blazing Fire out after 82 hours in Ever Gotesco Grand Central 

The unpreparedness and lack of equipment has been blamed for the failure of firefighters to put out the fire at the Ever Gotesco Grand Central Mall in Caloocan City, which broke out Friday night.The Grand Central fire reportedly broke out from a shoe stall on the mall's ground floor. The fire has reportedly destroyed about 90 percent of the mall.

Firefighter trying to diminish the fire that torched the entire Grand Central Mall

Almost four days after it broke out, the fire that hit the Ever Gotesco Grand Central mall in Caloocan City was finally declared out yesterday morning, signaling the start of a formal investigation whether it was accidental or arson.

Officials of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) declared the fireout at 7:25 a.m.


The fire broke out inside the Rusty Lopez outlet located on the ground floor of the Ever Gotesco Grand Central Mall along Rizal Avenue Friday at 10:30 p.m. 


Bureau of Fire Protection-National Capital Region Director Santiago Laguna said nobody is allowed to enter the establishment, even its tenants, except the firemen.


Earlier, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo has created an inter-agency task force that will conduct a thorough probe of the blaze following reports that the mall was deliberately set on fire to claim insurance.


He said they are looking into reports that fires were still erupting in other areas of the building while firefighters were operating on the ground floor.


The fire department also raised the estimated damage to P700 million.


Arson investigators explained that fires that cause damage exceeding P30 million will be investigated by the regional or provincial offices of the BFP.


In a television interview, Oscar de Asis, Caloocan City fire marshal Superintendent, said firefighters lacked equipment such as breathing apparatus to fully pot out the fire.

Affected residents behind the mall 

"Yes, we lacked equipment, including breathing apparatuses. We've been trying to put out this fire for more than two days already. We are tired, including the volunteers," de Asis said.
De Asis said the agency's modernization program is still "pending", but said that meanwhile, they would have to make do with their equipment.


Nearly 200 fire incidents have been recorded in the country since the beginning of March, which has been designated as Fire Prevention Month to raise awareness about fire and safety.