A employee was reported missing while two were injured after a two-story warehouse containing decorations for events caught fire in Barangay San Rafael Village, Navotas City on Tuesday afternoon.
According to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)–Navotas City, the fire started at around 12:19 p.m., reached second alarm, and was declared controlled at 2:05 p.m. after intensive operations by responding firefighters.
SFO2 Junnie Bert Mendoza, arson investigator of the BFP Navotas City, said that the fire started inside the warehouse near the gate. Before the incident, there were reports of welding being done in the area, which could have been a source of ignition due to materials and electrical connections.
Employees immediately tried to extinguish the fire using fire extinguishers, but the fire spread so quickly that it was out of control. Volunteer fire brigades arrived, but still had difficulty due to the intensity of the fire and the thickness of the smoke.
A volunteer rescuer climbed onto the roof to rescue a trapped employee, but another was left inside. Minutes later, the interior of the building was completely engulfed in flames and the second-floor floor collapsed. The cost of the damage is estimated at ₱5.2 million, and an investigation is ongoing to determine the exact cause of the fire.
