By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) – Bacolod is looking into an electrical fire as a possible cause of the blaze that happened at Ta-ala Farms Inc. in Purok Kasilingan, Barangay Mansilingan here on Saturday, March 4.
Chief Inspector Rodel Legaspi, city fire marshal, said they submitted to the laboratory the evidence that was gathered at the fire scene to determine if there was a short circuit.
Legaspi said that based on the statements of some witnesses, the fire broke out from the first floor of a storage facility, which is also being utilized as barracks for the workers.
“I-check ta kay basi sa utilities man bala, na may na bilin nakasaksak sa outlet or indi standard ang ginagamit,” he added.
The fire killed one of the workers identified as 26-year-old Johnrel Esparagoza, while 11 others were wounded.
Most of the wounded victims suffered minor burns, while others had spinal injuries, dislocations, and lacerations after they jumped into the window to escape the burning facility.
Legaspi said that Esparagoza was trapped when he got lost looking for the stairs trying to escape.
The fire immediately spread because the roof was made of plastic, he added.
Legaspi said this is the first fatality recorded by the BFP in two years here.
The fire left an estimated P2.6 million worth of damage.
