Thick black smoke billowed from a commercial establishment along Banawe Street past midnight on Thursday. Firefighters rushed to the scene, facing an intense blaze that tested their skills and resolve.
One brave firefighter climbed to the second floor, breaking glass windows. Flames suddenly erupted in a fierce burst. Acting fast, he grabbed a fire hose from a colleague to battle the fire immediately.
“I ventilated the area when I saw the flames coming out. I quickly went down to release the trapped heat inside the building,” said FO2 Melvin Cabaya from Manresa Fire Sub-Station.
Entry was no easy feat. Three large padlocks secured the steel accordion doors, delaying the firefighters. They had to use special tools to break through. Once inside, they swiftly confined the fire.
Despite the chaos, no injuries were reported. The blaze reached first alarm status and was declared under control after more than an hour. The building, filled with various auto parts and supplies, suffered heavy damage. Authorities are still probing the fire’s cause, believed to have started on the first floor.
In another alarming incident on April 25 along Visayas Avenue, a UV Express van suddenly ignited. What caught people off guard was the burning van suddenly rolling forward, drifting a few meters away from where it first caught fire.
Witness Arjay Dela Cruz recalled, “It burned in one place for about four minutes while we stood nearby. Then it moved a few meters away, and people started running, thinking it might hit them or roll into their area.”
All 18 passengers and the driver, heading to Novaliches, escaped unharmed. Passengers first noticed a burning smell. The driver stopped to check when smoke started coming from the air-conditioning unit, quickly followed by flames.
Both cases remain under investigation as firefighters and authorities work to uncover the causes behind these dramatic fires. The quick actions of responders and the escape of all passengers highlight courage amid chaos.
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