The Canlaon City government has committed to providing assistance to nine people, including children, who were injured after a fire struck its booth at the Buglasan Festival at the Freedom Park in Dumaguete City on Wednesday.
“The Local Government Unit of Canlaon City is committed to extending the necessary assistance to the affected individuals. We are currently coordinating with concerned agencies and authorities to reach the victims, assess their immediate needs, and facilitate appropriate support,” the city government said in a statement released Thursday, Oct. 22.
“Although the damage to our booth is significant, we are grateful that no lives were lost. The safety and well-being of every individual remain our foremost priority. We extend our concern to all those injured and affected by this incident and wish them a swift recovery,” the statement added.
The local government expressed its gratitude to the police officers who first responded, as well as the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Provincial Health Office, Philippine Red Cross, Negros Oriental Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, One Rescue, and all emergency responders for their prompt assistance.
“The fire may have damaged our booth, but it cannot extinguish the spirit of Canlaon City. Like the structure that continues to stand, our people remain resilient, united, and steadfast amid every challenge,” the statement read.
Fire Chief Insp. Erwin Johannes Gimotea, caretaker of the Negros Oriental Provincial Fire Marshal’s Office and Dumaguete City Fire Marshal, said preliminary investigations indicate that faulty electrical wiring inside the booth likely ignited the blaze.
SSupt. Gerry Berte, acting regional director of the BFP in the Negros Island Region, said that all Buglasan Festival booths will undergo thorough safety inspections to ensure public safety.*
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