Eight barangays have been identified as the most critical fire prone areas in Bacolod City, Chief Inspector Stephen Jardeleza, City Fire Marshal, said on Tuesday, September 12.
These are barangays 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 34, 40 and 41, whose entire areas are fire prone, Jardeleza said.
This is because these barangays have numerous houses made of highly combustible light materials located in areas with narrow pathways, which are difficult for firetrucks to enter, he said.
These densely populated areas are inhabited mostly by informal settlers, Jardeleza said.
The number of fire prone areas are 120 in 37 of the 61 barangays in Bacolod, he added.
However, he said, the list needs to be further upgraded.
Jardeleza urged barangay officials to implement “Oplan Ligtas na Pamayanan” in their communities as a proactive measure against fires.
This includes preparing hazard maps that determine entry and exit points, congested parts, and obstructions.
Meanwhile, Jardeleza said further investigation by the Bureau of Fire Protection showed that the fire that hit Purok Tangkong in Barangay 7, Bacolod City, on Saturday night, shows that it started from an unattended candle in the house of Frederico Lumayno, and not from a butane stove.
The fire destroyed 38 houses and damaged two affecting 66 families with 331 members.*