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CEBU CITY, Philippines - Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has ordered the creation of an in-house committee to investigate a fire that struck the second floor of the Provincial Legislative Building, destroying some electrical wiring and the door to the offices Cebu CFI Community Cooperative Inc.
Rory John Sepulveda, the Capitol’s consultant on information and revenue collection, said the governor said she was alarmed by reports that the Sunday noon fire was caused by an electrical short circuit.
“The committee will investigate what caused the fire and invite the people who saw it and those security guards who were the first to respond to the fire alarm,” said Sepulveda.
The consultant said there was a need to determine if the fire was caused by flaws in the building’s design or lapses in its construction.
The committee has submitted a preliminary report to the Capitol, Sepulveda said, in which it was discovered that the fire started from outside the building. It barely reached the interior of the second floor, destroying only the door of the Cebu CFI Cooperative office and some electrical wiring on the floor.
Security guards had reported thick smoke coming out from the building's north wing, near the second floor fire exit. An investigation revealed that the fire originated from a utility shaft.
The fire destroyed the shaft's wooden door, later consuming the PVC piping inside the shaft.
Sepulveda said the PVC pipes served to contain the building's electrical, water and sewage connections.
“The province will have (the damaged shaft and PVC pipes) fixed. If we discover that somebody was responsible for it (the fire), then he will be made to pay for it,” he said.
Sepulveda said the committee is headed by Provincial Administrator Eduardo Habin, with security consultant Byron Garcia, Provincial Attorney Mariano Martinquilla and Provincial Engineer Eulogio Pelayre as members.
The committee plans to invite Fire Officer 3 Antonio Gonzales of the Cebu City Fire Department for questioning.
Gonzales had earlier told reporters that the fire could have been caused by an electrical short circuit.
The Provincial Legislative Building was constructed in 2004 by Dakay Construction and Development Corp. at the cost of P61 million. Since then, however, provincial officials have been complaining about defects in the building, such as cracks on the floors and walls, tiles popping out and dripping water during heavy rains.
