School fire causes P1M damage, probe results hang
The Engineering and Secretarial departments of the
Cabalum Western College (CWC) gutted by fire last
June 21, 2006.
At least P1 million in damage to property was estimated to have been lost in Wednesday's fire that gutted a major portion of the second floor of Cabalum Western College, burned the school's apartment and three other nearby apartments.
Such as probers from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) here remain unsure of what caused the incident earlier said to have been triggered by a short circuit and/or faulty electrical wiring.
In a report, The News Today (TNT) gathered that Iloilo City Fire Marshall Inspector Nilo Pacifico sought for more time to fold up its probe amidst questions raised on initial investigation. However TNT sources assured that arson investigators on the job expect solid probe findings this week as normalcy returns in the school's operations.
Located in the very heart of the city's business district, the fire occurred within minutes of a heavy downpour and at the height of traffic. For hours hundreds of city residents were caught in the traffic jam that sealed off commuters in at least three major streets.
Panic also set in as customers rushed out of the nearby mall as government and private fire trucks lined up some 50 meters away from the fire scene. Efforts to hasten response were hampered by lack of space and the location of the building.
Cabalum Western College stands to be one of the oldest institutions in Iloilo.
Two departments were affected -- the Engineering Department where the fire was said to have originated and the Secretarial Department. No injuries were reported in the over one hour of fire.