Tutuban mall fire finally under control; mopping-up ops start

More than 24 hours after it started, the fire that hit the Tutuban Mall in Manila's busy Divisoria district was finally under control Thursday. The Bureau of Fire Protection declared the fire under control at about 10 a.m., radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported Thursday noon. A separate update on dzBB said the firefighters have started mopping-up operations. But BFP Metro Manila head Chief Superintendent Santiago Laguna said they still have to find the focal point of the fire to prevent it from rekindling. Laguna also reminded firefighters to remain careful, noting at least 74 firemen had already experienced difficulty breathing due to the thick smoke. The alarm level of the fire, which started at 12:42 a.m. Wednesday, reached Task Force Delta. This means that it was the BFP’s regional director who oversaw the fire-fighting efforts. A report by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said six were hurt while eight suffered from suffocation or difficulty breathing. Traffic around the mall was also disrupted as streets were closed to traffic to make way for fire trucks responding to the incident. — BM, GMA News