By Lilian Mellejor
DAVAO CITY – The rescue teams of the Bureau of Fire Protection
(BFP) finally found 36 charred bodies believed to be the trapped call center
agents of the Survey Sampling International (SSI) at the fourth-floor stairwell
of the burnt New City Commercial Center (NCCC) mall here.
The bodies are being processed by the Scene of the Crime Operation
(SOCO) to identify the victims before they are turned over to the respective
families.
BFP 11 Regional Director Wilberto Rico Neil Kwan Tiu has apologized to
the families of the victims for not commanding and forcibly directing fire
rescue teams to penetrate the building already at 500 to 700 degree Celsius
temperature inside.
He also apologized for not directing fire rescue teams to crawl even if
most parts of the burning building have caved in and collapsed; and, for not
commanding responders to penetrate the burning mall with heavy gases and thick
smoke.
“In my heart, really from us (fire responders) my deepest apology for
not able to save them,” Tiu said before the families, relatives, survivors, and
city officials led by Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio after the mass held near the
entrance of the NCCC Mall along Ma-a road on Monday.
“Our deepest apology for not (being) able to save them because of the
situation,” Tiu said after detailing the search operation.
Tiu, who personally took charge of the ground operation, said the
search and rescue teams found the bodies at the stairwell leading to SSI, just
a few steps of the fourth floor lobby and not the SSI locker room or the
restroom as earlier related by some survivors and text messages of trapped call
center agents to the families.
Some were found in the lobby near the area where
SSI entertains clients.
The SSI occupied the whole fourth floor of the NCCC mall.
When Tiu announced 36 bodies were found, the families of the victims
broke down.
Search operation
Tiu detailed the operations with the aim of saving lives.
He said the fire responders barely rested after the rescue operations
for families affected by flood the previous night on December 22. Responders
were called for duty to respond to NCCC fire.
After receiving information that there are persons trapped inside the
SSI restroom and locker room, Tiu said some responders shifted in suppressing
the fire to rescue operations.
He said all assets of the BFP, including those from the neighboring
cities and provinces already assisted.
All in all, he said there were 31 fire
trucks.
Responders focused on the SSI restroom but only one body was found on
Sunday afternoon.
They pursued operations Monday and made more holes for ventilation
because of toxic gases inside.
Tiu said rescue teams tried but, every time they move forward they were
met with so much heat and thick smoke “more than what people see escaping from
the walls of the mall.
The responders had to back off again every time they move forward.
“We cannot sustain the heat and we have to make a strategy again,” he
said. The high temperature, he said could melt the equipment and gears of the
rescue teams.
Tiu said a group of unified responders – utilized all available
resources and followed protocols to ensure the safety of the responders.
He said he did not discount every information given to the BFP.
It
encouraged them to go to the building despite heated gases and thick smoke. He
explained that carpets, plastics produce hydrogen cyanide.
“Responders have nothing in mind but to save the victims,” he stressed.
After finding one body inside the restroom, Tiu said responders
continued the search and went deeper passing through alleys of SSI that already
caved in.
“And we he found 36 lifeless bodies,” Tiu said.
Tiu also offered sympathies to the families on behalf of the
responders.
After the mass, families, relatives, friends, survivors,
Duterte-Carpio, and city officials lighted candles and offered flowers in front
of the NCCC mall – Ma-a road side.
Investigation
Duterte-Carpio said there would be an investigation – one by the BFP
for its own action and two, a third party investigator that would be
recommended by the families of the victims but expenses would be shouldered by
the city government.
Tiu said the investigation would be done by the national office
considering the number of fatalities and the cost of damage.
Tiu added that BFP has yet to determine the cause of the fire. The
investigation is still ongoing.
BFP 11 will provide all information and reports to the BFP national
headquarters for its own investigation.
He, however, said BFP is recommending the total demolition of the mall.
Asked if NCCC mall followed safety rules, Tiu said mall owners should
know all the protocol since they are the founders of Fil-Chinese firefight
volunteers. In the past there was even a fire station inside the mall’s
premises, he said.
If there are lessons learned, Tiu said it is time for BFP to align with
present technology.
He said the BFP still lacks some assets like high ladders and equipment
to make holes in buildings walls. The last time the agency got new assets was
during the Ramos administration.
He is positive that the administration of the President Rodrigo Duterte
knows the BFP’s needs.
“The President is very diligent,” he added.
In the meantime, the mayor appealed for patience and calm.
“Please allow our authorities to do their job. Buhaton tanan sistema to
reunite with your relatives (All procedures will be done to reunite with your
relatives),” Duterte-Carpio appealed.
The mayor said the city would extend assistance to the families of the
victims. The assistance would be sourced from the city’s peace and order fund.
SSI has also offered assistance.
“We just need to discuss it so that there will be no duplication of
assistance,” Duterte-Carpio added. (PNA)
