Fire hits UP Diliman Faculty Center

A fire hit the Bulwagang Rizal Faculty Center at the University of the Philippines - Diliman campus early Friday morning, according to Super Radyo DZBB's Rodil Vega.

UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan said no one was hurt in the incident.

He added that 250 teachers hold office at the center, which was constructed in the 1960s and that a temporary office will be set up at the Palma Hall Pavilion.

Tan told reporters that they lost valuable research materials of history, sociology and anthropology classes to the fire.

The Philippine Collegian, the UP Diliman official publication, posted in its Facebook account that fire alarm has reached "Task Force Alpha," one level above the fifth alarm, according to SF04 Jose Felipe Arreza of the QC Fire Department.

In their Twitter account, the publication posted that that based on initial assessment the fire started at the third floor and that this spread to the lower floor.

BFP-NCR Senior Supt. Crispulo Diaz said that a problem on electrical wiring could be the cause of the fire.

Tan said the fire did not reach parts of the Faculty Center's first floor. However, once the fire is completely put out, the whole building will be off limits and retrieval of any remaining property will be prohibited as the floors might collapse, the Chancellor explained.

The Center is made largely of light materials, with only wooden walls separating the offices of most faculty from the College of Arts and Letters and College of Social Sciences and Philosophy.

The estimated cost of damage to RizalHall, according to BFP, is around P 3 million.

In a report for GMA 7's "Unang Balita," Jay Sabale said the first alarm was raised at 1:40 a.m. and that the fire could have started at the third floor.

The BFP also said the fire spread quickly because of the large volume of papers and records of the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Social Science and Philosophy.

The teachers who rushed to the area became emotional because they lost important research materials. They would have a difficult time retrieving data because they were not able to create back up files for their database.

As of 4 a.m., UPD management announced that classes at the College of Arts and Letters (CAL) building are suspended. The said building is next to the UPD Faculty Center.

ADVISORY (updated): Classes held at CAL building are suspended today. No announced suspension for classes held elsewhere, as of 4AM.

— Philippine Collegian (@phkule) March 31, 2016

 As of 4:42 a.m., the BFP announced that the fire is under control. — BAP/JST, GMA News