NGCP tower in Alabang still down, causes traffic

Authorities have yet to raise on Thursday morning the transmission tower of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines that fell in Alabang, Muntinlupa, a report on Unang Balita said.

The tower partly toppled on Wednesday and threatened to fall over the South Luzon Expressway after a fire engulfed residences near the SLEX Alabang northbound exit.

LOOK: Tore ng NGCP na nadamay sa sunog kahapon sa Alabang, Muntinlupa City, nakatagilid pa rin. | via @dzbbsamnielsen pic.twitter.com/45vOKJQSaR

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) April 19, 2017

The NGCP said the fire was suspected to have been started by illegal settlers.

NGCP personnel began efforts to raise the tower on Wednesday night, attaching a chain from the tower to a crane that would lift it up, GMA News' Jay Sabale reported.

It took almost three hours to attach the chain.

However, when NGCP personnel tried to lift the tower, they found out it was impossible to do so, as the cables may snap and cause more damage.

It was almost 3 a.m. Thursday when they were able to attach more cables to the tower that would be connected to another crane.

The two cranes will then be used to lift the tower.

.@dzbbsamnielsen WATCH: Tore ng NGCP na nadamay sa sunog kahapon sa Alabang, Muntinlupa City, nakatagilid pa rin. | via @dzbbsamnielsen pic.twitter.com/GdUOkFLseh

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) April 19, 2017

When the tower fell partly on Wednesday, sparks flew, the report said.

The fire was declared out at past 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Authorities closed the Alabang northbound exit of SLEX due to the incident.

ADVISORY: Alabang Toll Plaza Exit NB up to Service Road EB is temporarily closed due to the fallen NGCP line along Alabang Toll Plaza road.

— Official MMDA (@MMDA) April 19, 2017

As of 8 a.m. Thursday, traffic northbound at SLEX Alabang remains heavy, the Manila Toll Expressway Systems, Inc., operator of SLEX, said in a tweet.

MaTES-SLEx Traffic Update as of 8:02 AM: Alabang Viaduct NB:HEAVY (Traffic Tailend at Pleasantville).

— SLEX - MaTES (@OfficialSLEX) April 20, 2017

—KG, GMA News